We, the people, are not lesser than
A bill opponents say would all but eliminate citizen-led initiatives drew protests across the state late last month with multiple civil rights organizations also coming out in opposition, decrying the measure as a bid to strip “everyday Floridians” of their ability to have a say in their government.
Nonetheless, HB1205, entitled Amendments to State Constitution and sponsored by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-District 78 — a member of Lee County Delegation — easily passed 76-31 in the House on April 3.
On April 8, its companion bill passed the Senate’s Fiscal Policy Committee 14-5 en route to expected passage in the Senate.
Welcome to governance 2025, where “We, the Government” often bigfoots “We, the People” because, well, an election win is the new ticket to ride.
And ride this bill does over the rights of Floridians who have, since 1968, been able to directly appeal to fellow taxpayers and residents through a petition process that leads to the ballot box where we, the people, decide whether the initiative proposed should be approved.
That current process is not easy.
It currently takes nearly 1 million verified signatures to get a proposed citizen-led constitutional amendment on the ballot.
It takes 60% of those casting a ballot — a supermajority of qualified voters — for passage, a high hurdle that this past election nixed hot-button bids for enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution and legalizing recreational marijuana.
The right has not been abused.
In the 57 years that Floridians have exercised this right, there have been 42 such initiatives brought to ballot, 32 of which passed and became part of the constitution, according to League of Women Voters of Florida Co-President Debbie Chandler, who was among the speakers at a virtual press conference held by the SEE Alliance as part of last month’s speak-out.
Yet Rep. Persons-Mulicka and those supporting her bill want to make the process harder, so much harder, in fact, that read on its face, even President Trump could not collect nor handle petitions under HB1205.
Among the proposed conditions for those sponsoring or collection petitions: Requires petition sponsors to post a $1 million bond with the state Division of Election; imposes limits on petition sponsors to one amendment; limits the number of cycles a sponsor can remain active while collecting signatures; imposes new restrictions on who may gather petition signatures, including new disclosures and state residency; requires specific training for those collecting petitions; cuts the time for the delivery of petition forms to local supervisors of election from 30 days to 10 and increases fines; requires supervisors of elections to notify voters when their signatures are verified and creates a revocation process for signatures; and increases fines and criminal penalties for any violations, irregularities or fraud.
Among the proposed conditions for those of us signing petitions: A requirement to provide new identifying information — a current and valid Florida drivers license number, Florida identification card number or the last four digits of our Social Security number.
Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka has been quoted as saying the measure is intended to “fix” a broken system.
We’re not seeing it.
What we see is an blatant attempt to make citizen-led initiatives more cumbersome, more costly and out-of-reach — except, of course, to those with lots of cash to burn because, heaven forbid, that any “fix” cut out Big Money and its interests.
As HB 1205 works through the Senate as companion bill SB 7016, there is still time to get on the record as opposed and call this legislation what it is: An act to abridge the rights of Floridians to directly and equally propose amendments to our state’s bedrock governing document.
We, the people, are not lesser-than than the other three entities with the same right to bring measures to the ballot — the Florida Legislature and the two so-vested commissions, the Constitution Revision Commission and the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.
Even if those we elect apparently think that we not only are, but that we, and our rights are not worthy of prioritization.
— Island Reporter editorial