Jason Delgado
Florida voters on Tuesday will decide whether it should be tougher to amend the state’s Constitution moving forward.
Presently, constitutional amendments require at least 60% voter approval to pass. A new initiative, however, wants to give voters an opportunity to think twice about the decision.
The initiative, called “Voter Approval of Constitutional Amendments” or Amendment 4, would require all proposed amendments or revisions to the Florida constitution to be approved by voters in two elections, instead of one, in order to take effect.
The Keep Our Constitution Clean political committee is sponsoring the amendment.
“Our goal is to ensure that voters are given the opportunity to fully understand the immediate and future impacts of any proposed changes to our state constitution,” the PC says on the website.
The group also says the amendment will create “safeguards” from those “legislating” through the constitution.
On the other hand, the ACLU of Florida and the League of Women Voters of Florida have opposed the initiative. What’s more, editorial boards across the state have urged voters to shoot down the amendment.
The amendment, the ACLU contends, is a political effort to obstruct voters’ ability to pass future constitutional amendments.
“This proposed initiative only serves certain special interests and the politicians who do their bidding and who don’t want ordinary citizens deciding how their state is run,” the ACLU of Florida said.
Notably, Nevada is the only state that requires ballot initiatives to pass in two consecutive elections before becoming constitutional amendments.
Florida voters for years have increasingly tackled issues through ballot initiatives. In recent years, the ballot initiative has legalized medical marijuana, restored the right for ex-felons to vote after they pay their fines and limited class sizes in schools.
Florida’s Constitution has been amended more than 120 times since 1970, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Amendment 4 is one of six amendments that Florida voters will decide on Tuesday.
