The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear their proposed bill SPB 7096 on Monday, April 1st at 4 PM. This bill would impose major restrictions on anyone gathering signatures for a citizen initiative. You can learn more from this report via Florida Phoenix.
Citizen initiatives are the only way that Floridians can participate in direct democracy to change policy. This proposed bill is a solution to a problem that does not exist.
Since 2010, 37 amendments have appeared on the ballot. Of those, only 11 have been citizen initiatives. That means more than two-thirds of ballot amendments were placed by the Legislature or Constitution Revision Commission — NOT citizen initiative.
Even worse, if this were to pass in conjunction with another proposal that seeks to raise the necessary vote threshold from 60% to 66%, it will be virtually impossible to pass a citizen initiative in Florida.
What can you do?
Call or email the Senate Judiciary Committee. Ask them to vote NO on SPB 7096.
Suggested message:
Dear (Legislator name),
Please vote against SPB 7096. The vast majority of constitutional amendments get to the ballot through means other than citizen initiative. Citizen initiatives are an important way for the people of Florida to have a say in our government when our elected officials refuse to act.
This is a solution to a problem that does not exist. Please vote NO on SPB 7096.
Sincerely,
(Your name)
Senate Judiciary Committee
Chair David Simmons (R)
(850) 487-5009
simmons.david@flsenate.gov
Vice Chair Jose Javier Rodriguez (D)
(850) 487-5037
rodriguez.jose@flsenate.gov
Dennis Baxley (R)
(850) 487-5012
baxley.dennis@flsenate.gov
Audrey Gibson (D)
(850) 487-5006
gibson.audrey@flsenate.gov
Travis Hutson (R)
(850) 487-5007
hutson.travis@flsenate.gov
Kelli Stargel (R)
(850) 487-5022
stargel.kelli@flsenate.gov
