Florida Amendment 4 explained: Amendment ratification changes
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida’s Amendment Four would make it harder to amend our state constitution in the future. If passed, any amendment that passes would have to go on the ballot again and pass a second time before it gets added to the constitution.
Supporters of this amendment say we need to add another step in the process, because it’s becoming too easy to pass amendments in Florida, and as a result our ballots and constitution are being cluttered with measures that are either redundant or confusing.
For example, oil drilling and smoking e-cigarettes have practically nothing in common. But they were bundled into a single amendment in 2018, which voters passed among nearly a dozen others.
If passed, Amendment Four would make citizen petition drives for future amendment campaigns more expensive, which would likely dissuade some from taking off as a result.
Opponents of Amendment Four say it would discourage grassroots campaigns, and make it harder to address issues the legislature won’t. They cite the previous medical marijuana amendment and amendment to restore voting rights for many ex-felons as examples.
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FLORIDA AMENDMENTS EXPLAINED: