Today, the Florida House Government Operations Subcommittee advanced a bill that would radically change Florida’s citizen-led amendment process and make it far more difficult for everyday Floridians to put amendments on the ballot. HB 1205 creates multiple new restrictions on the current process, which is already one of the strictest citizen-led amendment processes in the country.

Common Cause, Equal Ground, and dozens of Florida citizens and advocates testified in opposition to the bill.

“The majority of Floridians – on a bipartisan basis – want a citizen-led amendment process that enables ‘We The People’ to put amendments on the ballot. These changes do the opposite. Citizen-led amendments empower everyday citizens to pass policies that improve our lives and strengthen our communities, especially when politicians choose to side with their billionaire and corporate elite donors. We need our elected leaders to stand up and protect the power of the people by rejecting any further restrictions or costs on citizen-led amendments. Floridians should not have to pay to have a say in their democracy,” said Amy Keith, Common Cause Florida Executive Director.

“HB 1205 amounts to a direct attack on direct democracy in Florida. If passed, this legislation will severely curtail the ability of everyday Floridians to bring issues to the ballot, consolidating power in the hands of politicians and special interests, rather than the people. This bill is about fear. Fear of the people using their constitutional right to act when legislators fail to deliver on the issues that matter most to them. Our elected leaders should be protectors of democracy and preserve the people’s right to change any form of government that does not serve them,” said Genesis Robinson, Equal Ground Executive Director.

“These attacks on the citizens-led amendment process create a system where only the wealthiest can afford to put issues on the ballot. Florida already has one of the most restrictive citizen-led amendment processes in the country. But these attacks go even further by banning community volunteers from collecting petitions, imposing extreme fines, and even threatening people with felony charges just for making their voices heard. This isn’t about improving the process, it’s about preventing the will of the people.” said Jackson Oberlink, Legislative Director of Florida For All

Common Cause Florida  is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.