TALLAHASSEE, FL — Today, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1205, attacking citizen-led amendments. If the Governor signs this bill into law, it would make it nearly impossible for everyday Floridians to pass citizen-led amendments in the future.
Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, stated:
“This bill is a blatant power grab — and a dangerous attempt to silence the will of the people. HB 1205 makes it nearly impossible for everyday Floridians to use the citizen-led amendment process, which has long served as one of the last remaining checks on a government that increasingly refuses to listen to the people it purports to represent.
“This is not about protecting the integrity of the process. It’s about preserving power for a few who want unchecked control and the ability to ignore the will of the voters. When politicians don’t like the outcomes of citizen amendments — like raising the minimum wage, expanding voting rights or exposing the majority mandate to restore reproductive freedom — they change the rules. That’s not democracy. That’s manipulation.
“We are watching our freedoms erode in real time. If this bill becomes law, it will gut our constitutional right to amend the Florida Constitution and leave it in the hands of only politicians and their rich corporate friends while excluding the people. But we will not stand by quietly. We will fight back, we will organize, and we will stand with the communities and constituents who have been betrayed and will help to hold every lawmaker accountable who voted to silence our voices.
“The people of Florida deserve a government that’s not afraid of its own voters. We call on Governor DeSantis to veto this anti-democratic bill and stand on the side of the people he was elected to serve.”
Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel of the ACLU of Florida, added:
“Citizen-led amendments have shaped Florida for the better — especially when lawmakers have failed to act. They’ve expanded access to early childhood education, increased wages for working families, protected our environment, and restored voting rights to people with past convictions.
“Florida already has one of the most restrictive processes in the country, requiring nearly one million signed petitions to make the ballot and 60 percent approval needed to pass. HB 1205 pushes it further out of reach by imposing significant, unnecessary financial and legal hurdles that will prevent everyday Floridians from having a say in their government. This is a direct attack on Article XI, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution, which explicitly reserves the power to amend the Constitution to the people. This bill takes that power away from the people, and solidifies it in the hands of politicians.
“For decades, citizen-led amendments have improved the lives of Floridians when our government has refused to act in our best interests. Today, the Legislature has made it clear: they don’t trust the people of Florida to decide what’s best for our state. This bill takes away our freedom to have a say in the policies that preserve our liberties and strengthen our communities. But the people of Florida will not take this lightly. They will remember who stood up for their freedoms, and who voted to limit them.”
“The Florida Constitution belongs to the people — not politicians. This moment demands more than outrage, it demands action. The ACLU of Florida is committed to building power alongside communities across this state to protect our democracy while preserving our rights.”
