Here are the key issues that Common Cause Florida is watching during the 2025 Legislative Session!

Citizen-led Amendments

Bad Bills:

• Amendments to the State Constitution (HB 1205 / SB 7016)
  • What it does: Takes the citizen-led amendment process out of the hands of everyday Floridians by putting in place massive costs, onerous bureaucratic hurdles and intimidating criminal penalties. These bills are rewriting the rules to keep power in the hands of the legislature and corporate elites, rather than letting the people have a say through their vote.
  • Current status: HB1205 has passed the House and SB 7016 will be voted on by the full Senate as soon as next week.
  • ACTION: Call your Florida Senator NOW and urge them to Vote No on SB 7016.

Good Bills:

• Use of State Resources to Influence Statewide Ballot Initiatives (HB 727/SB 860): Prohibits state government from using taxpayer dollars to influence the outcome of ballot initiatives.
• Elector Votes Required to Approve an Amendment to or a Revision of the State Constitution (SJR 864): Proposes an amendment to the Constitution to decrease the votes required to pass an amendment from 60% to 50%.

Voting Rights & Representation

Bad Bills:

• Elections (HB 1381) aka the Florida SAVE Act
  • What it does: Blocks tens of thousands of eligible Florida voters from accessing the ballot by forcing ALL Florida voters to have passport-level documentation proving their citizenship to register to vote OR update their voting address. Will also remove Student ID from the list of voter IDs that can be used at the polls.
  • Current status: Passed its first committee and skipped its second. Will next be heard in the House State Affairs Committee.
  • ACTION: Call your Florida House Representative and tell them to vote no!

Good Bills:

• The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act (SB 1582 / HB 1409)
  • What it does: Provides stronger tools to fight voter suppression, repeals bad elections laws, and expands access to the ballot.
  • Current status: Heard for the first time ever in committee on April 1, 2025! Almost all Democratic members of the Florida Legislature are already signed on as co-sponsors for 2025.
  • ACTION: Learn more here about our coalition’s work to ensure all Floridians truly have equal access to the ballot.
• Support for Disaster-Affected Voters (SB 1486/HB 1317)
  • What it does:  Provides critical accommodations for displaced and disaster-affected voters, regardless of what county they live in, and ensures election offices have the resources and flexibility needed to help voters in emergencies.
    
  • Current status: Several key provisions have been incorporated into an omnibus Emergencies bill (HB 1535) and we are advocating to include more.
• Restoration of Voting Rights Database (HB 489/SB 848): Fulfills the promise of rights restoration for Floridians with prior felony convictions by enable returning citizens to know if their right to vote has been restored or not.
• Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote (SB 208/HB 33): Makes Florida part of the solution to the problem of the Electoral College!

Government Ethics & Accountability

Bad Bills:

• Public Records of Congressional Members and Public Officers (SB 268 / HB 789): Shields personal details of elected officials from public disclosure – preventing the public from verifying where elected officials actually live, despite Florida’s history of problems with elected officials not living in their district.
  • Current status: Passed the Senate and will next be heard on the floor of the House.
• Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses (SB 752 / HB 667): Turns factual reporting into a legal minefield, chilling the ability of the free press to report on public officials.
  • Current status: Both bills passed their first committees.

Good Bills:

• Public Records (SB 1434):  Helps address the issue of state, county, and local government agencies delaying, denying, or outright ignoring public records requests from Floridians.
• Employee Protections (SB 352/HB495): Helps address some of the harms of last year’s Ethics bill by prohibiting public agencies from retaliating against employees for disclosing information to the Commission on Ethics.
• Candidate Qualification (HB 201/SB 280): Helps close the “write-in loophole” in Florida’s primary elections. 
  • Current status: SB 280 passed the Senate and has been sent to the House.