Plaintiffs in a lawsuit are asking the Florida Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s ruling that struck three amendments from the ballot.
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office Monday asked the Supreme Court to allow Amendments 7, 9 and 11 to remain on the ballot.
But a brief filed by Attorney Joseph Little Friday requests the Court uphold an earlier ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers. Gievers struck down the amendments, ruling they unconstitutionally bundled unrelated proposals.
Plaintiffs Robert Barnas and former Florida Supreme Court Justice Harry Lee Anstead argue the amendments violate voters’ First Amendment rights. They contend voters could have opposing views of issues contained in a single ballot proposal.
One amendment bans offshore drilling and vaping in workplaces. A second deals with the state college system and death benefits for first responders. And the last prohibits undocumented immigrants from owning property and makes clear repealing a criminal statute doesn’t affect those already in prison.
The Supreme Court has not yet said if it will hold oral arguments.
