POLI 330N Week 1 Assignment: State of Powers: Florida vs. The United States Bill of Rights

Week 1 This paper discusses the guidelines for three sections of the Florida Constitution, namely, Basic Rights, Religious Freedom, and Freedom of Speech and Press, as well as how these sections co mpare to the corresponding section of the United States Bill of Rights. The guidelines for these sections are discussed in detail in this paper. Basic Rights All natural people are equal before the law in Florida, according to the state's constitutional provisions. All people have the right to enjoy and protect their liberty and lives under all circumstances. Male and female have equal rights to seek happiness, to be compensated equally for equal labor done, to own, acquire, and defend property, and to pursue, acquire, and safeguard their own happiness. As a result, no individual's right to equal protection under the law should be denied on the grounds of religion, race, national origin, or physical impairments (The Florida Senate, 2021). Religious Freedom It is stipulated in the Florida Constitution, according to the Florida Senate (2021), that the state shall not pass a legislation that recognizes any religious institution or prohibits people from enjoying their right to freedom of religion. The clause further states that freedom of religion may not be used to excuse any acts or practices that are detrimental to public morality, public safety, or public peace. Aside from that, no public funds will be made available for the benefit of any religious institution (The Florida Senate, 2021) Freedom of Speech and Press The right to write, publish, and talk on any topic is guaranteed by the Constitution of the State of Florida to all citizens. Individuals, on the other hand, will be held accountable if This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :32:43 GMT -05:00 they misuse the freedoms granted by the constitution. Furthermore, the constitution states that no legislation may be enacted that restricts the freedom of expression or the freedom of the press in any way. Truth may be used as proof of defamation in all civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions, according to the provisions of the section in question. If the defamatory allegation is shown to be accurate and was published for a legitimate reason, the person who has been accused will be released (The Florida Senate, 2021). Comparison between the Florida Constitution’s Sections and the U. S. Bill of Rights According to the First Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, the provisions mentioned above are reasonably related to one another. A fundamental right guaranteed by the first amendment is that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion; or abridging the freedoms of speech, press, or assembly; or the right of the people to congregate in peace and petition the Government for a redress of grievances” (American Civil Liberties Union, 2021). Clearly, the guidelines for religious freedom are the same at the state and national levels, regardless of the jurisdiction. Also comparable are the rules for freedom of expression and freedom of the press. The right to freedom of speech is granted to all individuals. With respect to freedom of expression and of the press, the first amendment differs from the second in that the latter protects just a few specific topics. For example, it makes no mention of defamation lawsuits or any other legal action. The United States Bill of Rights has many amendments that deal with the subject of fundamental rights, including the right to an education. As a result, it is very apparent that the federal government is required under the constitution to preserve and defend the fundamental rights of its people. Observing and safeguarding fundamental rights is a requirement at both the state and federal levels. The Florida Constitution, on the other hand, specifies the This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :32:43 GMT -05:00 fundamental rights in a concise manner, while the Federal Constitution does so in a more broad manner. This is a significant distinction. In the United States, the second amendment protects people from excessive search and seizure (American Civil Liberties Union, 2021) For the record, the three parts of Florida's constitution that correspond to the United States Bill of Rights are quite similar. The state's parts are a little ambiguous, while the United States Bill of Rights is very thorough. References The Florida Senate. (2021). Constitution of the State of Florida. Retrieved from