TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The group Florida Decides Healthcare hopes to get an amendment on the ballot to expand Medicaid.
Executive Director Mitch Emerson cited new regulations that started in July as the reason a measure won’t be on the 2026 ballot. Instead, the group will try to have one during the 2028 election.
“When this gets on the ballot in 2028, Floridians are going to say ‘yes’,” Emerson said.
Polling data released by the group showed the group having enough support to cross the 60% threshold needed to amend the state constitution.
However, getting a citizen-led measure on the ballot is not so simple. State lawmakers passed House Bill 1205. Petition circulators now must register with the state and undergo training online. The law also added penalties and fines if the state uncovers issues during the signature gathering process. The legislation also increased the price tag for verifying petitions among other rules.
“We’ve been working very hard in terms of adapting to a changing set of rules,” Emerson said.
St. Petersburg democratic State Rep. Michele Rayner didn’t support the bill because she says it makes it harder for citizens to get their voices heard, especially when lawmakers are not acting on a certain issue.
“If we really want to have an honest conversation about the ballot initiative, and what went wrong and what went right, let’s have every solution on the table,” Rayner said.
Democrats in the state also believe the new law is only in place after some republican state leaders disagreed with the citizen-led push to legalize recreational marijuana and expand access to abortion.
Republicans are not buying that argument. St. Pete Beach State Rep. Linda Cheney said HB 1205 is meant to prevent fraud. During debate about the bill, she mentioned what was mapped out in a Florida Department of State report from previous citizen-led initiatives.
“Identity theft, signatures after the petitions were filled out,” Cheney said. “False statements to the electorate about what they were signing a petition for. All of the major elements of this report have been put into this bill.”
The law is being challenged in court. All parties are expected to be back in court in January.
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