Florida lawmakers seek to ban state funding of amendment ads
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The latest example of Republican lawmakers pushing back on Gov. Ron DeSantis has emerged in an unlikely place: legislation cracking down on citizen-led ballot initiatives, which is a DeSantis priority.
State of play: A Republican-controlled Senate committee is seeking to ban the use of state funds on campaigns to support or oppose constitutional amendments.
Why it matters: The measure — part of a larger elections bill that adds restrictions to citizen-led amendment drives — comes after the DeSantis administration used state resources to criticize amendments that sought to legalize recreational marijuana and expand abortion access.
- The tacit criticism of DeSantis' tactics comes after GOP lawmakers openly feuded with the governor over immigration legislation — the first time he has faced such strident intraparty conflict in Tallahassee.
State of play: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections on Monday advanced a proposal that would bar public funding from being used "to publish, broadcast or disseminate public service messages concerning an amendment or a revision on the ballot."
- Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) tacked the amendment onto Senate Bill 7016, a package of sweeping reforms to the petition-gathering process.
What they're saying: "This in no way prohibits public service messaging campaigns from the state," Bradley said, per the Florida Phoenix.
- But "when they cross over into attempting to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, I think that we're then trending into territory that makes me very uncomfortable as a conservative who is very concerned about what our role of government is in a democratic society."
Flashback: Last year, the state Agency for Health Care Administration published a webpage with debunked criticisms of Amendment 4, which would have enshrined abortion in the state constitution.
- Supporters of a recreational pot ballot measure also accused the governor of trying to sway voters after state agencies ran anti-marijuana public service announcements in the weeks leading up to the election.
- Both amendments won majority support but failed to reach 60% as state law requires for passage.
The other side: DeSantis previously denied trying to sway voters, saying the material put out by state agencies was factual and intended to inform Floridians.
Yes, but: The ban advanced by the Senate committee applies "regardless of whether the public service messages are limited to factual information."