State Feed: Florida

Florida: Miami Beach marijuana decriminalization effort underway

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:40:43 -0400

Miami Beach voters could cast ballots for Mary Jane come November should a budding effort to decriminalize marijuana possession in the city gain traction. In front of City Hall Wednesday evening, the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy announced a drive to gather signatures in support of a proposed amendment that would make “personal” possession of marijuana in Miami Beach a civil code violation punishable by a mere fine.

Read the story from the Miami Herald

Florida: County puts tax referendum on ballot

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:01:38 -0400

Now that Flagler County commissioners have agreed to place an economic development tax referendum on the November ballot, proponents of the plan have their work cut out for them. “They have to come up with a much more concrete, more specific proposal to put before the voters,” said Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts. “Right now you have a very amorphous proposal.” Netts, who supported the idea of placing the referendum on the ballot for voters to decide, said he has not formed an opinion on the issue.

Florida: Citizen initiatives prompt legislative response

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:12:13 -0400

The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature’s answer to a pair of citizen initiatives on redistricting is set for a vote in the House. A partisan roll call is likely Monday on the proposed state constitutional amendment (HJR 7231). If also approved by the Senate, the measure would go on the Nov. 2 ballot. There it would join the citizen initiatives, Amendments 5 and 6. One is for legislative and the other for congressional redistricting.

Florida:Opposing redistricting measures on the ballot in November

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:35:42 -0400

Republican lawmakers drove a proposed constitutional amendment through a House council Thursday, saying the measure is needed to expand on a pair of Democratic-backed redistricting proposals already set for the November ballot. But Democrats said the real intent of the late-developing measure is to confuse voters who polls show are expected to support the FairDistricts Florida amendments set to go before voters this fall. Amendments 4 and 5 ask voters to bar legislators from drawing legislative or congressional district lines that benefit political parties or incumbent lawmakers.

Citizen Rights Group Urges Supreme Court: Hear Florida Case on Voter Petition Rights

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:39:05 -0400

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Citizens in Charge Foundation, a national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, recently joined with the Brechner First Amendment Project, Brechner Center for Freedom of Information and other organizations in filing an amicus curiae (Latin for “friend of the court”) brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Citizens for Police Accountability Political Committee v. Browning, a Florida case concerning the right to petition voters leaving a polling place.

Florida: Debate will increase over hometown democracy measure

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:34:31 -0500

Expect debate over Amendment 4 to help heat up Florida’s already-hot summer. The amendment will be on the ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2. If approved by a 60-percent majority statewide, the constitutional amendment will allow Floridians to veto changes to their community-growth master plans that have been approved by local officials.

Read the story from the West Volusia Beacon

Voter control measure makes 2010 ballot

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:03:31 -0400

The way officials throughout Florida, often at developers’ behest, trample local growth plans is maddening. So, it’s no wonder Hometown Democracy, a grass-roots movement, got enough public support for a 2010 ballot to alter that landscape. It would require public votes on any changes to local growth plans. Something’s needed to get officials to honor growth-management plans. And Hometown Democracy appears an earnest, provocative and intriguing way of making them do so.

Challenge to recall and petition rules in Florida county

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:18:49 -0400

Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi filed suit Monday seeking to undo controversial requirements imposed almost three years ago that make it harder to bring voter ballot initiatives in a move that — if successful — could pave the way for a recall effort of embattled Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. The suit, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, comes a day after a Miami Herald/CBS 4 poll found 58 percent of registered voters favor the recall of Alvarez.

Circulation started Friday in Florida for personhood ballot measure

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:20:38 -0400

A nationwide anti-abortion group launched an effort in Florida today to outlaw all abortions and certain types of birth control, including oral contraceptives and the morning-after pill. The religion-infused movement, called “Personhood Florida,” would define conception in Florida’s constitution at the “biological beginnings,” supporters said — when the sperm meets the egg. The group, Virginia-based American Life League, filed its amendment today but the exact ballot language is still going through the approval process, said Secretary of State Spokeswoman Jennifer Krell-Davis.

Opposition forming to ballot measure banning gerrymandering

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:04:32 -0400

Forget that the governor’s office, a U.S. Senate seat and every other statewide office are open this election cycle. The 2010 campaign that could have the farthest-reaching implications for Florida is a redistricting ballot initiative that would change the way congressional and legislative districts are drawn.

Residents gather signatures for alcohol ban on beach

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:43:20 -0400

Banning kegs on the beach in Treasure Island will most likely happen in the coming weeks. In the coming months, a total ban on alcohol could take place. That was the result during a special Treasure Island commission workshop on Aug. 5 to discuss the Sunset Beach situation.

Read the story from the Beach Beacon

Additional Florida Supreme Court ruling on citizen initiative

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:23:46 -0400

The Florida Supreme Court says a revised financial impact statement on how much a proposed growth management amendment could cost taxpayers now complies with state law. That decision came in an advisory opinion Thursday to Attorney General Bill McCollum. “Local governments will incur additional costs due to the requirement to conduct referenda,” the court wrote, adding “the impact on state government expenditures will be insignificant.”

Read the story from the Miami Herald

Possible ballot measure may require county vote for changes to county land use

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:26:13 -0400

During his more than eight years on the Sarasota County Commission, Jon Thaxton has consistently warned of the impact of overdevelopment on the region’s quality of life. But Thaxton’s quest for less development is not so strong that he would advocate what could be one of the most restrictive growth management measures ever. A group calling itself Hometown Democracy won approval for a ballot measure in 2010 that would amend the constitution to prevent any changes to a county’s land use plan without a countywide vote.

New law keeps government from spending money to influence ballot voters

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:38:00 -0400

Other new laws tighten the leash on local governments and law enforcement agencies. One prohibits “crash taxes” — fees for causing wrecks. City and county officials, facing declining property tax revenues, say they needed the extra cash for police, ambulance and other emergency response expenses. Local governments also can no longer spend public money to sway voters on ballot issues.

Read the story from WTVT13

Free Speech Victory in Florida

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:08:42 -0400

The state of Florida has decided not to appeal a case in which a state law aimed at restricting ballot initiatives was struck down.

Legislators and professionals discuss Florida's upcoming ballot initiatives

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:07:12 -0400

Constitutional referendums slated for Florida voters to consider next year will either kill development or ease developers’ tax burdens, legislators told a group of Orlando-area commercial real estate professionals Thursday.

Read the story from the Orlando Sentinel

Florida Court Strikes Signature Revocation Law

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:37:07 -0400

The Florida Supreme Court struck down a law that allowed voters to revoke their signatures from petitions that the already signed. The ruling comes in a suit filed by supporters of the Florida Hometown Democracy Initiative, which had seen over 13,000 petition signatures revoked. Justices made the ruling Wednesday but will issue their full opinion at a later date.

Read the story from the Miami Herald

FL Court Says Signatures Can't be Revoked

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:28:18 -0400

The Florida Supreme Court ruled yesterday to strike down a law allowing voters to revoke their signatures after they sign a petition. The case against the law was filed by supporters of the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment.

School board supports levy to increases taxes

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:53:23 -0400

Charlotte County School Board members vocalized their support for an initiative to levy a tax increase for the 2009-2010 school year during a workshop meeting Tuesday afternoon. The increase, which is for a quarter mill, could generate approximately $3.6 million a year. A quarter mill is equivalent to $25 for every $100,000 of assessed value.

Read the story from the Charlotte Sun

Petition drive in Florida to try and open waters to oil drilling

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:52:06 -0400

A Bradenton-based grassroots group is hoping an unorthodox interpretation of a federal law will help open Florida waters to oil drilling. FloridaOil.org Inc. said Monday it is planning a petition drive to amend the state constitution next year, hoping Florida voters will require the state to claim waters now under federal control for oil and natural-gas exploration.

Read the story from the Bradenton Herald