Federal ruling in Florida ballot initiative restriction challenge could have national implications
The leader of an effort to expand Medicaid access to low-income childless adults in Florida maintained Friday that the outcome of a federal lawsuit could decide the fate of citizen-led ballot initiatives in the Sunshine State and possibly the nation.
Following the end of a two-week federal trial, Florida Decides Healthcare Executive Director Mitch Emerson told reporters the citizen-led initiative process is the sole remaining constitutional path for people to drive change in government.
A 2025 law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (HB 1205) requires petition circulators to be Florida residents and United States citizens, prohibits convicted felons who have not had their voting rights restored from circulating petitions, and requires all petition circulators to register with the Florida Division of Elections.
The law allows the state to levy a $50,000 fine against an organization that allows those categories of people to even handle petitions.The fine is per violation.
https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/20/federal-ruling-in-florida-ballot-initiative-restriction-challenge-could-have-national-implications/