WLRN Public Media | By Kate Payne
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Every day that a new Florida law remains on the books restricting the state’s process to get citizens’ initiatives on the ballot, the First Amendment rights of campaigners are being infringed upon, their attorneys argued in court Thursday.
The lawyers claim the measure signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis this month has already dealt significant blows to campaigns to expand Medicaid and legalize recreational marijuana in the state. Organizers for the measures are urging a judge to block portions of the law from being enforced while their challenge plays out in court.
Both campaigns are gathering signatures in the hopes of getting their initiatives on the 2026 ballot, a prospect they say could be effectively impossible under the new law, which creates criminal penalties for campaigners who don’t comply with its stricter requirements.
This story was originally produced by WLRN, South Florida’s only public radio station at 91.3 FM, as part of a content sharing partnership with MIA Media Group. Read more at WLRN.org
