- Gov. DeSantis Throwing Support for New Constitutional Amendments
The Florida Governor says he’s supportive of a move by the Florida Legislature to certify four Constitutional amendments under Article V.
These include Congressional term limits, a balanced federal budget, line-item veto authority for the President of the United States, and equal laws for the public and members of Congress.
2. Expanding The Required Majority to Pass State Constitutional Amendments
Movement in the Florida State House on a bill that looks to increase the percentage of votes it would take to pass a state ballot initiative to be added to the Florida Constitution.
Currently, that number stands at 60 percent. But if the bill becomes law, that number would then increase to 66.67 percent.
The Florida AFL-CIO and the League of Women Voters oppose this move, claiming it would hurt “democratic participation” and making it hard for grassroots organizations that wanted to change the Florida Constitution.
State Republicans seem to like the increase making it more difficult for measures they don’t support, like abortion and gun control, which Democrats have supported to add to the state constitution.
3. Elimination Police Civilian Review Boards
Florida State Senator Blaise Ingoglia’s bill is making headwaves and news. His bill would do away with police citizen review boards.
Though the boards are powerless to change investigations, members of these boards can still advocate policy positions pro and con in local police departments.
Currently, there are 21 citizen review boards across the state. The Orlando Police Department is one agency that uses one.
Opponents of this bill claim it looks bad if the public doesn’t have a say on how police do their job.
But supporters of the bill say it’s nothing more than a power grab of those behind the defund the police moment.
The Fraternal Order of Police supports Ingoglia’s bill. State President Steve Zona say there are already protocols set in place to investigate law enforcement officials is something goes wrong.
