As we gear up for election season this November, it’s crucial to understand each of the six proposed state constitutional amendments appearing on Florida’s ballot and their potential impacts. In our last edition, we previewed Amendments 1 & 2 and here we examine Amendments 3 & 4, with a look at the last two proposed amendments in our next edition. We offer this brief guide to the 2024 ballot initiatives to help you make an informed decision for the future of the Sunshine State.
Amendment 3 is a citizen-led initiative to legalize recreational marijuana usage in the state of Florida. If passed, anyone over the age of 21 would be allowed to possess, purchase, and use the drug without the current need for medical authorization. Licensed state entities would also be allowed to grow marijuana and sell it along with related products and accessories. Marijuana has become a hot-button issue nationwide, with Florida being no exception – calls for legislation ranging from decriminalization all the way to recreational use have popped up on ballots with varying outcomes. Supporters of the measure argue it grants more freedoms to Floridians and tourists, offers a quality free from unsafe additives, and point to the potential sales tax revenue it would generate that could benefit everyone in the state. Opponents argue the measure could make it easier for cannabis to find its way into the wrong hands – citing its history as a gateway drug and the associated costs of drug abuse and addiction. The drug is still illegal federally, adding to concerns. A “Yes” vote on Amendment 3 would approve full legalization of marijuana in Florida, whereas a “No” vote would keep marijuana legal only with medical authorization.
Amendment 4, if passed, would enshrine abortion protections in Florida. The ballot summary states “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” but still requires parental notification in the case of a minor getting an abortion. While this issue can be addressed legislatively, the Florida legislature has imposed a ban after six-weeks, one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation, leading to 997,000 citizen signatures to bring the issue to the November ballot. There is much debate surrounding the language of Amendment 4 – detractors argue that fetal viability is a rather vague cutoff that varies greatly from patient to patient, worried that this phrase could protect late-term abortions without a clear deadline for the decision to be made. Supporters call for an increase in reproductive rights in the wake of overturning Roe V. Wade and generally consider their stance to be “pro-choice,” free of government control. A “Yes” vote would nullify the Florida Legislature’s ability to pass abortion restrictions before viability or in pregnancies concerning the mother’s health, whereas a “No” vote would leave room for further legislative restrictions if proposed.
All proposed amendments to Florida’s constitution require a 60% majority vote to be approved. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. We urge all readers to exercise their right to vote and make their voice heard in the 2024 election.
See you on the trail,
Lisa
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