FOX 13 Interview: Rep. Rick Kriseman

ST. PETE BEACH - A pair of local lawmakers want Florida voters to decide whether drilling for oil in state territorial waters should become unconstitutional.

State representatives Richard Kriseman of St. Petersburg and Keith Fitzgerald of Sarasota called on Governor Charlie Crist and Republican legislative leaders to convene a special session of the legislature to consider placing a referendum on the November ballot.

"People are really focused right now on what does this mean for us, and how does it affect our pocketbook?" Fitzgerald said, "And it's a bad deal."

Republican leaders who previously championed near-shore drilling in Florida waters have backed off in light of recent events. But, their Democratic opponents doubt the idea of oil rigs within 12 miles of Florida's shoreline is dead forever.

"Bad ideas, when they are attached to special interests, often become vampires," Fitzgerald said. "They rise from the dead. We're proposing to drive a stake through the heart of this particular bad idea."

Kriseman thinks voters would "overwhelmingly" ban near-shore drilling. "I think the people in the state of Florida recognize the danger, to our economy, to our environment," he said.

In Pensacola today, Governor Crist did not immediately embrace the idea of a constitutional referendum. But when asked about the cost of a special session, Crist said the expense would be justified if it protected Florida's waters.

Crist also suggested a special session might be needed to resolved unrelated issues, and the referendum could be added to that agenda.