US EditionLawsuit challenges new restrictions to getting measures on Florida's election ballot
- Progressive advocates filed a federal lawsuit on Sunday challenging new Florida restrictions on citizen-driven ballot initiatives signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis days earlier.
- The law followed months after GOP legislators, controlling Florida's Legislature, passed measures increasing petition restrictions amid past voter efforts supporting abortion rights and marijuana legalization.
- The law bars felons without restored rights, noncitizens, and nonresidents from collecting petitions, requires registration as a circulator beyond 25 petitions, demands more personal data disclosure, shortens deadlines, and imposes felony charges for violations.
- FDH Executive Director Mitch Emerson said the campaign had about 100,000 signatures but complying with the law could cost millions due to hiring paid circulators replacing volunteers who fear legal risks.
- The lawsuit asserts the law suppresses citizen initiatives rather than preventing fraud, while lawmakers claim it reforms a fraud-tainted process and protects Florida’s constitutional amendment system.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Florida Medicaid Initiative Group Sues to Block New Restrictions on Ballot Petitions
A group backing a proposed constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid in Florida filed a federal lawsuit Sunday seeking to block a new state law that dramatically tightens restrictions on the citizen initiative process. The 74-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, argues that House Bill 1205 imposes unconstitutional burdens on political speech, association, and civic participation in violation of…
Last Call for 5.5.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida
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States Are Tightening Rules for Getting Citizen-Led Proposals on the Ballot - Overpasses For America
After a wave of successful citizen-led efforts to expand abortion rights via ballot measures, some state legislatures are making it harder for members of the public to put such measures before voters. Florida, which late last week became the latest state to enact stricter rules around the process, is already facing a lawsuit over whether imposing more restrictions on the ballot initiative process is constitutional. The suit was brought by a grou…
Marijuana Moment
newsbudz.comWith Florida Marijuana Legalization Measure Circulating, DeSantis Signs Bill Making It Harder To Qualify Ballot Initiatives
Fresh changes to Florida law on ballot initiatives will create new hurdles for advocates aiming to put legislative proposals before voters—including, potentially, the renewed effort to legalize marijuana in the state. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday signed a measure into law that tightens requirements around citizen-initiated measures. Among other requirements, it mandates that […]
Lawsuit challenges new restrictions to getting measures on Florida's election ballot
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Progressive advocates have filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging new restrictions on Florida’s process to get citizen-driven initiatives on the ballot before voters. Florida Decides Healthcare, the campaign to secure a measure on the 2026 ballot to expand Medicaid in the state, is bringing the legal challenge, along with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Elias Law Group, which frequently represents Democrati…
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