FL legislature limits citizen-led voting initiatives

TALLAHASSEE

A bill to limit citizen-driven voting initiatives – like those of the 2018 election, which expanded marijuana for medical purposes and sought to give ex-criminals the right to vote – was almost dead.

Until it is not.

In a typical move of the last days of the legislative session, the wording of the bill was thrown on the lifeboat of a different, unrelated bill in an ultimate effort to enact the proposal.

Representative Jamie Grant's bill was incorporated into a tax reduction bill as he was discussing a controversial bill implementing Amendment 4.

His bill was passed last Thursday by the political parties, but he died in the Senate earlier this week.

"We should adopt an attitude that respects the integrity of the constitution," said the Tampa Republican. "There is a worrying trend to put politics in the constitution."

Grant's amendment, which was passed by both houses late Friday night, has the effect of making the bill active as soon as it is proclaimed. This would be in effect for 2020, a crucial presidential election year during which other groups are hoping to get amendments before voters ban weapons and assault the assault. 39, Medicaid expansion.

Republican lawmakers have progressively made it harder to change the constitution of Florida, including limiting the time a group has to collect signatures and raising the threshold of 60% for the adoption of an amendment. .

During this session, the majority party tried to advance another bill that raises the threshold to a two-thirds vote, which is dead. A separate Republican bill aimed to abolish the Constitutional Review Commission, a 37-member body that meets every 20 years to review and propose amendments to the state's constitution. This bill has never been put to a vote in the House.

Senator David Simmons, who introduced Grant's amendment to the upper house on Friday night, almost introduced a similar amendment to an election administration bill, but it was withdrawn last week.

Grant's amendment, among other things, would require that the voting initiatives pay the petitioners by salary or hour, not by the signatures collected. It also requires that pickers – who must be registered as a petition circulator with the Secretary of State – petition election supervisors within 30 days of signing and indicate whether extra-state signatures have been collected. incurred.

The rule also requires the language of the ballot to include the name of the sponsor of the initiative and the percentage of funds raised by sources within the state. If the proposal has a negative financial impact on the state or the local economy, a statement indicating this type of activity must be printed in bold type on the ballot.

The decision of the Supreme Court that will determine whether the proposed amendment can be applied by the legislature will also be recorded on the ballot. A 50-word "position statement" from any interested party, either for or against the proposal, will be posted on the Department of State website.

Since the Democrats lost the majority in Tallahassee, progressive groups have seen their policy directed by voters who have approved amendments such as the protection of environmental lands and the restoration of voting rights to criminals.

The bill will not affect petitions that have already been signed, but initiatives such as energy choice and raising the minimum wage still have signatures to collect. The hourly wage for petitions will be expensive, "said Alex Patton, who leads the initiative for a question on the vote on energy choice in 2020.

He said the amendment is "the ultimate in swampy movement" and will make collecting petitions much more expensive.

"Now, only big money can afford to do it," Patton said. "It's nearsighted, it's undemocratic and it's a pity."

Will Abberger, of the Trust for Public Land, contributed to the adoption of a 2014 amendment, known as Amendment 1, which was approved by 75% of voters and sends tax revenue to the fund. acquisition of Crown land. He said that they turned to the voting initiative process after five years of fruitless lobbying in the Legislative Assembly.

"We lobbied for five years, with the endorsement of all major state newspapers, but we could not convince the legislature," Abberger said.

Aliki Moncrief, director of Florida Conservation Voters, said the way Grant tabled the last amendment was "outrageous".

"Beyond the pale, is to put it lightly. It undermines the basic rights of citizens, "she said. "For them, just explain to them … it shows how little respect they have for Florida voters, even if they are willing to entertain him."

David Cullen of the Sierra Club agreed that the bill impedes the constitutional rights of the people.

"There are people in Florida who do not agree with them," Cullen said. "Life is hard and then you die."