Guide For Florida’s 2022 Proposed Constitutional Amendments

This week’s official launch of the 2022 sports betting initiative by none other than the Florida Education Champions aka Draft Kings and FanDuel, has begun to fuel the 2022 proposed amendment conversation. In reality, they’re late to the party. The effort to get proposed constitutional amendments on Florida’s 2022 general election ballots has been nothing short of remarkable. The sports betting initiative is the 33rd, yes 33rd proposed constitutional amendment for next year’s general election ballot. Now, it is the most well-funded, with over $60 million having already poured into the effort. In today’s breakout, I’m going to provide a quick overview of what’s currently in play.

Here are the 23 proposed constitutional amendments still alive and attempting to gain access to your ballot next year. As a reminder, 891,589 valid signatures must be collected, and the Florida Supreme Court must authorize the measures based on the appropriateness of the title and summary and determine whether they’d been valid under the United States Constitution.

• Medical Marijuana for Mental Health Disorders Initiative - Would allow medical marijuana for use for a mental health disorder
• Medical Marijuana Plants Initiative - Allows medical marijuana patients or caregivers to grow up to nine mature marijuana plants
• Acknowledgment of God Pledge in Schools Initiative - Provides for a daily pledge in public schools for the purpose of acknowledging the role of God in America's founding
• Medicaid Expansion Initiative - Expands Medicaid to individuals over age 18 and under age 65 with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level
• Community Service In Lieu of Traffic and Parking Ticket Fines Initiative - Allows drivers to complete community service at any nonprofit organization instead of paying fines associated with traffic or parking tickets
• Reentry Program and Supervised Release for Criminal Offenders Initiative - Directs the Florida Commission on Offender Review to develop a re-entry program for criminal offenders and place qualifying offenders on supervised release
• Two-thirds Supermajority Vote Requirement for Amending State Constitution Initiative - Changes vote requirement to amend the state constitution to a two-thirds (66.67 percent) supermajority vote of the voters who vote in the election rather than 60 percent of voters who vote on the amendment
• Top-Two Open Primary for Federal Office Initiative - Establishes a top-two open primary system for U.S. Senate and U.S. House primary elections
• Forced Sale of Private Property Initiative - States that it is the policy of Florida to prohibit the state from compelling businesses or individuals to sell their property to a third party
• Abortion Ban After Detectable Heartbeat Initiative - Prohibits abortion after a fetus' heartbeat is detectable
• Prayer in Schools Initiative - Allow Prayer Back in Schools
• General Election Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative - Establishes a ranked-choice voting system for all general elections
• Right to Clean Water Initiative Initiative - States that "every Floridian has a right to clean water" in the state constitution; gives legal standing to residents, non-governmental organizations, or government entities to sue in order to enforce or defend such rights
• Prohibit Dredging, Filling, and Degradation of Wetlands Initiative - Prohibits dredging, filling, and degradation (defined) of wetlands; makes such activities a third-degree felony
• Prohibit Construction and Expansion of Toll Roads on Rural and Conservation Lands - Prohibits construction and expansion of toll roads on conservation lands and rural lands (defined)
• Preservation Efforts and Hunting Bans for Certain Florida Animals - Defines Florida Iconic Species, prohibits commercial and recreational hunting of such species; provides that such species "have a legal right to exist, thrive, and evolve"
• Prohibit Captive Wildlife Hunting and Game Farms Initiative - Prohibits captive wildlife hunting (defined), also knows as game farm hunting; provides that such activities would result in a third-degree felony
• Prohibit Denial of Voting Rights Restoration for Debt or Legal Financial Obligations Initiative - Prohibits denying the restoration of voting rights due to outstanding debt or legal financial obligations
• Same-Day Voter Registration Initiative - Provides for same-day voter registration in which an individual could register to vote and vote at polling places on the day of an election
• Automatic Voter Registration Initiative - Provides that a person would be registered to vote or have their voter registration updated when their driver's license or ID card is given, renewed, updated, or replaced
• Trust Funds for Housing Programs Initiative - Creates funds for "affordable housing access and availability"
• Change the Commissioner of Education to a Cabinet Position Initiative - Changes the Florida Commissioner of Education to a cabinet position
• Sports Betting Initiative - Authorizes sports betting at venues, pari-mutuel facilities, and online conducted by entities that have existed for at least one year and that have conducted sports betting in at least 10 other states; requires sports betting with all tax revenue dedicated to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund

It’s safe to say many, if not most, will fail to make their way to your ballot. But now you know what’s out there. If some spoke to you, you have the ability to sign the petition and aid the effort for them to make the way to your ballot.