History of the Florida Cabinet

Upon admission into the United States, Florida’s government was organized into three branches, named “departments,” with a Supreme Executive Power known as the “Chief Magistrate,” styled as the “Governor of the State of Florida.” The Executive Branch remained under the control of a solely elected Governor from Statehood until Florida's secession from the Union at the onset of the American Civil War.

Upon readmission into the United States during the Reconstruction Era, a new state constitution was ratified, styled as the 1868 Constitution. This was the first instance in which the word “Cabinet” appeared—however the use of the phrase mirrored the Federal style, placing all appointing authority with the Governor as Chief Executive, with some appointments subject to confirmation by the State Senate.

In 1885, a civil overthrow of the Reconstruction-era government led to a Constitutional Convention in which a new constitution was ratified, styled as the 1885 Constitution. This was the first instance in which the word “Cabinet” was used in the context reflecting a shared distribution of Executive power amongst seven statewide elected officials including the Governor and a Cabinet comprised of a Secretary of State, Attorney General, Comptroller, Commissioner of Agriculture, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Over the next eighty years, the legislature continued to create and assign independent executive powers and duties to individual Cabinet officials—beyond those prescribed by the 1885 Constitution. Further, legislation created an assortment of boards and commissions Chaired by the Governor with additional representation by a subset of Cabinet officials. These provisions would eventually be upheld by the Florida Supreme Court as being permissible and not a violation of the 1885 Constitution.

In 1968, a new constitution was ratified, styled as the 1968 Constitution, continuing the state's distributed governance model. The constitution prescribed the Governor share certain powers with a six-member Cabinet comprised of a Secretary of State, Attorney General, Comptroller, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, and a Commissioner of Education. Further, the constitution clarified that additional powers of duties of such Cabinet officials can be prescribed by law.

In 1998, the Constitutional Revision Commission proposed, and Floridians approved, a rewrite of Article IV, Section IV of the 1968 Constitution to reflect a stronger statewide Chief Executive in the Governor. As passed by the voters, the Cabinet was reduced from six to three members by combining functions of the now defunct Offices of Comptroller and Treasurer into a new State Chief Financial Officer, while maintaining the Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture. The previously elected offices of Secretary of State and Commissioner of Education transitioned to appointed officers that serve at the pleasure of the Governor (Secretary of State), or at the pleasure of a board appointed by the Governor (Commissioner of Education). These provisions took effect in January 2003, following the 2002 statewide general election.

Since that time, Florida Statutes have been further amended to strengthen the power of the Governor.