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Leon County, FL - A Leon County judge has ruled that the ballot language for a proposed Florida constitutional amendment addressing property taxes must be rewritten, finding that the current wording does not fairly and neutrally describe the measure for voters.
The decision allows the proposed amendment to remain on the November ballot but requires state officials to revise the ballot title and summary before the election.
The ruling focused solely on the language voters will see when casting their ballots and did not address the merits of the proposed constitutional amendment itself.
According to the court, Florida law requires ballot language to provide voters with an accurate, objective and impartial description of proposed constitutional changes.
The judge concluded that the existing language failed to meet that legal standard because it contained wording that could influence how voters interpret the measure rather than simply explaining its purpose.
The proposed amendment would expand Florida's homestead property tax exemption over several years if approved by voters.
Opponents challenged the ballot language in court, arguing that it did not adequately explain the proposal and could be misleading.
The lawsuit sought revisions to the wording rather than removal of the amendment from the ballot.
Under the court's order, state officials must prepare a revised ballot title and summary that comply with Florida law before ballots are finalized for the November election.
The amended language will be reviewed through the legal process before it is presented to voters.
If approved in November, the constitutional amendment would make changes to Florida's homestead property tax exemption.
The court's ruling does not affect the amendment's eligibility to appear on the ballot, only the wording voters will use when considering the proposal.