{
"type": "rich",
"version": "1.0",
"provider_name": "Action Network",
"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
"html": "",
"author_name": "Opportunity For All Floridians",
"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/opportunity-for-all-floridians",
"title": "Tell Your Lawmakers: Don't Silence Direct Democracy in Florida",
"thumbnail_url": "https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/308/490/normal/citizen_ballot_initiatives_2024.png",
"description": "Increasing Florida's minimum wage, Restoring voting rights to returning citizens, Banning off-shore drilling, Banning greyhound dog racing, Approving medical marijuana. We passed all of these measures through statewide citizen-led ballot initiatives — true direct democracy protected by the Florida Constitution. The process already isn't easy. It requires gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures, judicial review and approval, and finally gaining a supermajority of 60% of voters to pass, so all successful measures must gain some bipartisan support. Given the many hurdles in the process, it's obvious a successful ballot measure reflects the will of the vast majority of Florida voters in an inclusive process. But Tallahassee politicians want to make it harder. The legislature already has multiple ways to pass laws. Petition-gathering and citizen-led ballot initiatives provide an alternative to waiting for elected officials to act on important issues. Now, politicians in Tallahassee want to make the citizen-led ballot initiative process even harder — moving the bar from 60% up to 66% in order to pass. If HJR 335 is successful, it will mean shady special interests and dark money can trample the wishes of the electorate with no recourse. It’s hard enough for everyday people to make their voices heard in state politics. Don’t let partisan politicians take away our right to create change. Write Your Lawmakers: Citizen-Led Ballot Initiatives Are Direct Democracy - Don’t Silence Our Voices!",
"url": "https://opportunityfl.org/call-to-action/tell-your-lawmakers-dont-silence-direct-democracy-in-florida/"
}