Florida’s constitutional history is unique. In less than two centuries, Florida has had six different constitutions. Our current constitution, ratified in 1968, has been amended 144 times—most recently in 2020.
Constitutional measures, once approved, are not reforms that can be addressed by the State Legislature, thus they require a constitutional ballot initiative to be implemented.
Four ways to get a proposed amendment on the statewide ballot:
(1) Joint resolution by the Florida Legislature
(2) Citizens’ Initiative
(3) Constitutional Convention
(4) Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission (TBRC)
Florida Constitutional Amendments 2024
No. 1 – Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards
•YES vote requires candidates to have their political affiliation listed on the ballot.
•NO vote keeps in place current requirement that candidates must remain nonpartisan and cannot run under a political party.
•Pros: Voters are entitled to know candidates’ political party on the ballot to improve transparency.
•Cons: Local government bodies should remain as apolitical as possible.
•In Sum: Requires district school board candidates run under specific party affiliation.
No. 2 – Right to Fish and Hunt
•YES vote enshrines in our constitution the right to hunt and fish thus joining two dozen other states with this right in place.
•NO vote allows the state legislature to easily place restrictions on Floridians fishing and hunting.
•Pros: Makes right to hunt and fish substantially more difficult to ban or restrict, specifically regarding various species of animals.
•Cons: Remains easier for state government to regulate and restrict hunting and fishing of various species of animals.
•In Sum: A constitutionally-protected right to hunt and fish makes it more difficult to restrict hunting and fishing animal species.
No. 3 – Adult Personal Use of Marijuana
•YES vote legalizes marijuana consumption by those 21 and older for non-medical purposes, including recreational.
•NO vote retains current marijuana law, which allows for consumption and sale for medical purposes only.
•Pros: Legalizes recreational marijuana by citizens and businesses significantly adding tax revenue to benefit Floridians.
•Cons: Conflicts with federal law, reduces productivity in classroom and workplace, leads to greater drug use/drug-related problems.
•In Sum: A constitutionally-protected right to consume marijuana and increased tax revenue weighted against cost of public health problems.
No. 4 – Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
•YES vote legalizes abortion before fetal viability or when healthcare provider deems it necessary to protect a mother.
•NO vote retains current law which sets abortion as legal only within first six weeks of pregnancy.
•Pros: Legalizes abortion beyond current law, expands and protects that right in our constitution.
•Cons: Measure is not necessary to regulate abortion and the terms viability and healthcare provider are ill defined.
•In Sum: Overturns current law and legalizes abortions based on fetal viability or patient’s health, neither term defined in language.
No. 5 – Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions
•YES vote adds inflation adjustment to current homestead exemption.
•NO vote keeps current homestead exemption regardless of inflation.
•Pros: Provides homeowners relief on their property tax increases by adjusting for inflation.
•Cons: Measure will reduce local government tax revenue forcing local officials to raise taxes.
•In Sum: Current tax exemption rates for primary residences are not adjusted for inflation and would eliminate automatic tax increases for local governments, thus reduces local revenues.
No. 6 – Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement
•YES vote repeals current provision providing public funds to statewide candidates who agree to spending limits.
•NO vote keeps in place current public financing for statewide candidates who agree to spending limits.
•Pros: Eliminating public campaign financing will lower taxes and allocate general revenue funds for other state issues.
•Cons: Measure effectively levels playing field using public funds for aspiring officeholders lacking political and financial means and connections.
•In Sum: Voters will decide if public funds should be used for those candidates running for statewide offices.
See more:
•Amendment 3 https://no-on3.com/
•Amendment 4 https://votenoon4florida.com/
•2024 Florida Amendment Guide https://jamesmadison.org/wp-content/uploads/2024_Amendment_Guide-v04-web-1.pdf
•Florida 2024 Ballot Measures Florida 2024 ballot measures – Ballotpedia
