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Florida’s Two Latest Proposed Constitutional Amendments
Bottom Line: The push to get proposed constitutional amendments on our ballots has never been greater. Recently, when the Florida Education Champions PAC, backed by FanDuel & DraftKings announced the effort to get sports betting on our 2022 ballots, it marked the 33rd proposal seeking to gain access to our ballots. In this record setting cycle, just two weeks later, there are now two more. The two latest additions which are now seeking signatures required for Florida’s Supreme Court consideration, are these...
The PAC Florida Right to Pray Together has introduced the following:
Provides that any executive order by the Governor or any other designated governmental authority in the state of Florida cannot close, or limit in size, gatherings of any houses of worship or individually organized gatherings of prayer for greater than 21 calendar days without legislative approval.
This is clearly a pandemic inspired initiative to limit lockdowns on religious institutions in the future. And the most recent ballot seeker comes from Florida Voters In Charge. This is the latest ballot proposal in the fight over the future of Florida’s gaming options. The proposal comes with two versions seeking to:
The initiative would expand casino gaming in Florida and define casino gaming. Version #21-15 would limit new casinos to 100 miles from a Seminole tribal casino and version #21-16 would limit new casinos to 130 miles from a Seminole tribal casino.
The point of both of these proposals is to define what a casino is and to limit the future locations of casinos. The PAC said they filed both and will pursue whichever receives the most signatures. That’s a creative approach anyway. And there’s method to the madness. The language of both is written in a way that’s consistent with the state’s recent ratified Seminole Compact and would allow a much-rumored project with the Las Vegas Sands expanding into Florida. Currently The Sands is in discussions with Jacksonville on the creation of an entertainment complex. Either version of this amendment would ensure that’d be possible without legal challenges which could thwart efforts otherwise.
Florida’s 2022 Ballotpalooza is on in full force. While the clock is ticking for proposals to be able to gain enough signatures to be considered, these two aren’t likely to be the last. I’ll keep you posted.