FL: Soon, it could be more difficult to pass a constitutional amendment

[RandySF]

With Republicans in control of all branches of state government for nearly three decades, the only way that progressive measures like raising the minimum wage to $15 and legalizing medical marijuana were able to become law is because citizens approved them as constitutional amendments.

But under a joint resolution (HJR 129) moving in the Legislature, it would be harder to pass such amendments in the future. That’s because the resolution would raise the threshold for passage from 60% to 66.67%.

Voting rights groups are firmly against the proposal.

“Do you believe that 33.4% of voters should be able to override a decision made by 66.6%? We believe no,” said Jonathan Webber, the Florida policy director with the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Abdelilah Skhir is the voting rights policy strategist with the ACLU of Florida. He noted that of the 75 constitutional amendments placed on statewide ballots in Florida since 2000, 37 have come from the Legislature itself as joint resolutions, which this proposal is. The other amendments include citizen-led initiatives, as well as those which have come from Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission (CRC).

“My modest proposal would be simply not to pass as many joint resolutions (related to the Legislature),” Skhir quipped.

Orlando Democrat Anna Eskamani said the process to amend the state constitution is already extremely onerous, and that there is no need to make it harder. “I do see this as just another unnecessary effort to make it more difficult for voters to have direct democracy,” she said.




https://floridaphoenix.com/blog/fyi-voters-soon-it-could-be-more-difficult-to-pass-a-constitutional-amendment/

[jimfields33]

1. I'm not for making it harder but one year we had 18 amendments on our ballot.

That takes quite a bit of time for the voters to fill out.

[In It to Win It]

4. Did I misread?

This doesn't seem like it'll make it harder to get them on the ballot, just harder to pass once they're on the ballot.

[jimfields33]

5. No. I probably misread.

I’m definitely not for increasing the percentage needed to pass an amendment.

[In It to Win It]

2. Fuckin aye! These people!

That'll get a solid 'no' vote from me.

[Lovie777]

3. Will backfire.........

[Chainfire]

6. The last time I remember the public passing a ballot item was the right for ex-felons to vote.

The ink wasn't dry before the Republicans came in and undid it through a bunch of unreasonable regulations. They are so deeply entrenched here, I don't know how we will ever shed ourselves from them. It seems as if the worse they get, the more the voters love them for it. We may, however, peaked with El Douche, for I don't know how we could do much worse.