Florida lawmakers seek to ban state funding of amendment ads
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."
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