DeSantis Signs New Petition Law That Could Block Marijuana Ballot Campaign—Lawsuit Challenges Constitutionality
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a new law that imposes sweeping restrictions on the ballot initiative process, a move that could have direct implications for the state’s ongoing efforts to legalize adult-use marijuana and expand Medicaid.
The law, signed Friday, requires organizers of citizen-led ballot measures to post a $1 million bond before collecting signatures, prohibits out-of-state and noncitizen petitioners and shortens the timeframe for submitting petitions to elections officials. It also bars individuals with felony convictions from participating unless their voting rights are restored and mandates that petition signers provide personal identification details, such as a driver’s license or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
As reported by Marijuana Moment, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R), said the initiative process has been “taken over by out-of-state fraudsters looking to make a quick buck and by special interests intent on buying their way into our Constitution.” Governor DeSantis echoed that sentiment on social media, saying the bill would “combat petition fraud and prevent the special interest-abuse of our constitutional amendment process.”
Critics argue the legislation will make it prohibitively difficult for grassroots efforts to qualify initiatives for the ballot. State Sen. Carlos Smith (D) told the Associated Press the measure was “intentionally designed to make it impossible …