The Flagler Beach City Commission is heading to a Feb. 15 workshop to discuss possibly placing on a referendum questions about changing the mayor’s role to a voting one, changing commissioners’ terms, and changing the role of the chair. But the commission is more divided than not both about the questions themselves and the purpose of the workshop. That does not bode well for its outcome–at least the outcome Commission Chair Eric Cooley wants, which is to put the questions to a referendum.
Amendments and Referendums
Some Florida Justices Skeptical About State’s Attempt to Keep Abortion Rights Amendment Off the Ballot
Some justices questioned how far the court can go to prevent initiatives from being placed on the ballot as they heard arguments about whether a proposal to ensure abortion rights in the state should be placed on th November ballot. “People in Florida aren’t stupid. I mean, they can figure this out,” Chief Justice Carlos Muniz said.
Florida Lawmakers Want to Raise Constitutional Amendment Approval Threshold to 66.67%
A House panel Monday approved a proposal that would make it harder to pass state constitutional amendments. Under the proposal, constitutional amendments would need support from 66.67 percent of voters to pass, up from the current 60 percent.
With 3,500 Petitions from Flagler Voters, Abortion-Right Ballot Measure Meets Signature Requirements
Some 910,946 valid signatures have been tallied for a constitutional amendment proposal that would protect the right to an abortion in Florida until the viability of a fetus. That topped a requirement of submitting 891,523 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Flagler County alone submitted 4,800 petitions, 3,543 of them valid.
Should Flagler Beach Mayor Have a Vote and Chair All Meetings? Commission Is Split on Possible Ballot Proposal.
On a proposal fronted by Commissioner Eric Cooley and informally seconded by Mayor Suzie Johnston, the Flagler Beach City Commission will consider whether to ask voters to change the city’s form of government, reducing the commission to five members, giving the mayor voting power, making the mayor the [permanent chair of meetings, and increasing electoral terms from three years to four.
How DeSantis and GOP Are Undermining Abortion-Right Ballot Initiatives Before the Vote
As abortion-rights initiative pick up victories in referendums, Republicans across the nation, exemplified by Florida’s Ron DeSantis, want to change the terms of the debate by injecting it with misinformation or overriding the referendum process.
Abortion Rights Supporters Reach 77% of Needed Signatures for Constitutional Amendment Ballot Measure
Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment that would ensure abortion rights in Florida continue moving closer to submitting enough petition signatures to get on the 2024 ballot. The Florida Division of Elections website Friday showed 687,700 valid petition signatures for the measure, which is sponsored by the political committee Floridians Protecting Freedom.
With K-12 Health Standards Mum on Abortion, Younger Floridians Seek More Influence Ahead of Court Case
The Florida Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Sept. 8 on the abortion issues and could reverse the course the court set more than 30 years ago. Some young Floridians are turning to the future of reproductive freedom in Florida, as through Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group that launched a pro-abortion initiative to add a constitutional referendum on reproductive freedom to the November 2024 ballot.
GOP Lawmaker Proposes 8-Year Term Limits for County Commissioners
A House Republican on Thursday proposed a constitutional amendment that would impose eight-year term limits on county commissioners. Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, filed the proposal (HJR 19) for consideration during the 2024 legislative session, which will start in January. But turnover has not been an issue on the Flagler County Commission.
Ohio’s Message to Florida: There’s Still Hope for Democracy
Terrified that an amendment giving women — not Gilead Republicans — control over their reproductive health would pass in November, Ohio’s right-wingers figured they’d change the rules in the middle of the game. But on Aug. 8, voters in this allegedly red state rejected a Republican-backed measure to make it harder for citizens to amend their constitution.