TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Florida voters will get to weigh in this November on two proposed amendments addressing recreational marijuana and abortion rights.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of proposed amendments concerning abortion rights and recreational marijuana.
The court chose not to release its opinions Thursday on the citizen ballot initiatives, which have have otherwise qualified for the 2024 ballot. The court was closed on Friday and over the weekend.
The Florida Supreme Court acts as a gatekeeper for the ballot, combing over each qualifying citizen ballot initiative to determine if voters can understand the language of the ballot summary. Additionally, a proposed amendment must be limited to a single subject.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who urged the court to keep the measures off the ballot, provided the following statement:
"We appreciate the court revisiting its precedent on Florida’s right to privacy and returning the meaning of that amendment to the voters' original intention. That decision outlines the difficulties and divisiveness of allowing vague and misleading initiatives on the ballot. We have argued from the beginning that these two new constitutional initiatives will mislead voters. We maintain that it will be an uphill battle to educate them. However, we respect the court’s decisions."
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody
Amendment 3:
Amendment 3, Adult Personal Use of Marijuana, "allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption."
If passed by Florida voters, it would only allow Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTC) to legally sell cannabis. The effort to put the measure on the ballot was largely bankrolled by Trulieve, a dispensary chain that dominates the Florida's medical market.
There are a limited amount of MMTC licenses in circulation, and when one of them is offered for sale, it can go for millions of dollars. The adult-use marijuana initiative does not allow individuals to grow their own cannabis.
In a statement, Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said the company is "thankful" that the Florida Supreme Court "correctly ruled on the ballot initiative."
"Trulieve was the primary financial supporter of the initiative during the signature gathering effort and subsequent court challenge and is a proud supporter, alongside a strong coalition of other companies, of the next important phase to educate Floridians on the amendment and secure a yes vote on Amendment 3 this November," Rivers said.
Amendment 4:
The Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion - designated Amendment 4 - would enshrine the right to abortion in the Florida Constitution, stating in part, “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability.”
The Florida Supreme Court previously ruled against some abortion restrictions, citing the privacy clause in the state's constitution. The initiative's sponsors referenced the privacy clause several times in briefs and oral arguments after Moody asked justices to strike down the proposed amendment.
In a separate ruling Monday, the court upheld the state's 15-week abortion ban, meaning a more restrictive 6-week ban will go into effect 30 days after the ruling. This deadline comes before most women even know they're pregnant. The ban is sending shockwaves throughout the region, as women from other states often travel to Florida for abortions.
Political Analyst Tara Newsome said that having the issues on the ballot will get voters out to the polls.
"These issues are two of the most important issues to drive voters out, so in a in an election year, in a 2024 election year, where we're worried about voter apathy, these are the kind of issues that drive even the most laissez faire voter out because they care about reproductive rights and they care about access to marijuana use," Newsome said.
On Election Day, 60% of voters would have to vote "yes" to approve them.