There are six proposed constitutional amendments on the 2024 General Election ballot. Four of the Amendments were placed directly on the ballot by the Legislature, Amendments 1, 2, 5 and 6, and two Amendments, Amendments 3 and 4, are the result of citizen initiatives.
The recommendations of the NAACP Florida State Conference are as follows:
AMENDMENT 1: Partisan School Board Electionswould make district school board elections partisan again, starting with the 2026 General Election, at a time when school boards have become political battlegrounds. For more than 20 years, Florida school board races have been nonpartisan. Returning to partisan labels could increase the level of discord and further politicize education in Florida.
Recommendation: OPPOSE
AMENDMENT 2: Right to Hunt and Fishestablishes hunting and fishing as a fundamental public right as a means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife. The Amendment 'recognizes the importance of fishing and hunting to Florida's cultural heritage and its economy.' Conservationists, however, indicate that the best means of managing fish and wildlife is to restrict fishing and hunting. The Amendment would not restrict the regulatory authority of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission over hunting and fishing activities.
Recommendation: NEUTRAL. No position taken
AMENDMENT 3: Recreational Marijuanadecriminalizes recreational marijuana allowing those 21 years and older to possess up to 3 ounces and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrates. The Legislature would regulate time, place, and manner of use.
Recommendation: SUPPORT
AMENDMENT 4: Abortion Accessrestricts government interference in a women's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy and guarantees access to abortions up to fetal viability, generally up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The Amendment would also allow the termination of a pregnancy when necessary to protect a patient's health, as determined by a health care provider. This Amendment returns the law to what it was before the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, a decision that was the law of the land for 50 years.
Recommendation: SUPPORT
AMENDMENT 5: Homestead Annual Inflation Adjustmentrequires annual adjustments to homestead exemptions to respond to general inflation increases. The Amendment could lead to savings for property owners who apply for homestead exemptions, but could likely cost local governments millions in reduced tax revenues used to improve and enhance local communities and pay for first responders. According to a legislative analysis, the Amendment would reduce non-school property taxes by nearly $23 million in fiscal year 2025-26, the first time the Amendment would take effect. Those losses could reach nearly $112 million within a few years.
Recommendation: OPPOSE
AMENDMENT 6: Public Campaign Financingrepeals a current constitutional provision providing public campaign financing of statewide candidates including governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, and agriculture commissioner.Candidates must first raise a certain amount of money, $150,000 for governor and $100,000 for cabinet officers, to be eligible for public financing. While eliminating public campaign financing would preserve state taxpayer money, it would also hurt underfunded candidates who are facing competitors receiving big-donor money. An attempt to repeal public campaign financing failed in 2010.
Recommendation: OPPOSE
As always, periodically check our website (Sarasotanaacp.org) for 2024 voting information.
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