Democrats and other critics slammed Republicans for trying to destroy the citizen-led constitutional amendment process during a House committee hearing.

“This bill, as currently written, really is just a death knell for the citizen-led ballot initiatives,” said Democrat Rep. Lindsay Cross.

Despite an hour of public testimony against HB 1205, the House State Affairs Committee advanced the bill in its final committee stop with a 17-7 party-line vote.

“Our citizen initiative petition process is broken, and we are the ones that must fix it,” argued Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, a Fort Myers Republican who sponsored the bill. “This process has been taken over by out-of-state fraudsters looking to make a quick buck and by special interest intent on buying their way into the constitution.”

The proposed changes to the ballot initiative process come after last year’s abortion rights initiative fell short of the 60% threshold to pass.

Amendment 4 became a target of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who accused the political committee sponsoring it of fraud. The Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF) political action committee later paid a $164,000 settlement with the state over allegations that paid petition circulators submitted fraudulent petitions. FPF and Democrats said DeSantis went on a political witch hunt.

Now, Republicans are trying to change the requirements for future initiatives. HB 1205 would require citizen-led ballot initiatives to put down a $1 million bond, which Persons-Mulicka proposed must be paid once 25% of the needed signatures to get on the ballot are collected.

The bill’s changes include slashing the deadline so groups would need to submit petitions within 10 days of getting them signed, instead of the current 30-day window. It would also increase penalties and upgrade the criminal charges for groups that don’t follow the stricter rules.

One of the more interesting provisions in the bill also strikes back at DeSantis who, as the public face against last year’s abortion rights and legalized marijuana initiatives, reportedly spent millions of public dollars to fight them.

Republicans pushed back against the Governor and added a measure in the bill that would ban public funds spent on “communications” during constitutional amendments.

“Do you think it would prohibit some of the activity we saw this past session with the Office of the Governor using public funds — what they said were PSAs, but felt more like political ads?” asked Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani.

Persons-Mulicka declined to definitively answer the question saying, “I think there’s a lot of different factual scenarios and speculation that can be made.”

The committee also amended the bill to strip the state’s top economist as a voting member from the Financial Impact Estimating Conference.

Last year, the conference featured a political showdown pitting Florida economic chief Amy Baker against a DeSantis office representative and a Heritage Foundation staffer during the conference, as they debated putting a “financial impact statement” on the ballot next to the Amendment 4 abortion rights language. Baker lost as the lone dissenting vote.

“I would just say that the Office of Economic and Demographic Research will still be at the table. They still will have an advisory role. They still have an opinion. But with that being said, they need to be ex officio,” said Rep. Griff Griffitts, who filed the amendment. “I think it’s good policy.”

Democrats’ attempts to water down the bill failed Wednesday.

Cecile Scoon, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Florida, argued that citizen-led initiatives take shape because the public is disappointed in the Legislature’s inaction.

“The only reason that they’re doing it is the citizens often feel that their elected officials are not listening to their needs,” she said. “They go to their elected officials and they say, ‘We need more money for our work. We need a minimum wage to be raised.’ Nothing is done, so the citizens take that on.”

The bill’s measures, especially shortening the timeline to submit petitions, would be “detrimental,” she said.

Republicans are dancing around the issue and masking their true intentions, argued Larry Colleton, a member of Orange County’s NAACP.

“You don’t want citizen initiatives. Just say that. Don’t pretend with this $1 million bond,” he said.

Added Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich, “There is a big difference between restrictions and protections. We’ve kind of crossed that line from protecting our rights to creating additional restrictions and barriers.”

Republicans brushed off the opposition.

“I’m in favor of this good bill,” said Rep. Mike Caruso. “When we speak about ballot initiatives, we are speaking about our constitution, which is the foundation of Florida, and as a foundation, it should be strong. It should be solid and not be subject to the whims of the moment, like the shifting sands of our beaches.”

Rep. Meg Weinberger fought back as the bill’s critics said the public’s voice will be silenced if the measure passes.

“What amazes me about this process in the Legislature is that any citizen can bring an idea to the legislator and advocate for that idea to turn into law. So I think that some people are misinformed,” she said. “As far as the bill is, if you read it, if I’m correct, it’s really just protecting the petition process and the initiatives. It’s safeguarding from fraud.”

Florida Politics asked Lauren Brenzel, FPF’s former Campaign Director, if advocates were planning to sue if the bill passes this Session.

“We are going to continue to apply as much pressure as we can on the Legislature to stop this bill. It’s a bad bill,” she said during Wednesday’s press conference with the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.

“I know that after Legislative Session, depending on whether or not the bill passes, partners in the state will be looking for all available options available to them to make sure that they’re able to protect citizens’ rights to amend their Constitution.”

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To support Cell Phones for Soldiers and in collaboration with the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA), Deloitte hosted its first Device Day at the Florida State Capitol on March 20.

As part of the event, legislators and staff, state employees, community members and Deloitte employees donated cell phones and other electronic devices to active-duty military members and veterans.

Cell Phones for Soldiers is a nonprofit organization committed to bridging the communication gap for military families. Since its founding in 2004, the organization has provided more than 400 million minutes of free talk time.

“As a veteran and a public servant, I know firsthand the power of a simple phone call to lift spirits and strengthen resolve. In hard times, a familiar voice is priceless,” said Sen. Jay Collins, United States Army Special Forces combat veteran, Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient.

“This program ensures that no service member has to go without that lifeline. Many thanks to Deloitte for the excellent work they do through the Cell Phones for Soldiers program.”

Devices collected during Deloitte Device Day will be shipped to Cell Phones for Soldiers where they will be refurbished for resale or responsibly recycled. The proceeds will fund free cell phones and 12 months of free talk and text service for veterans and active-duty military members.

Rep. Yvette Benarroch, a United States Air Force veteran who served during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and received the National Defense Service Medal, reflected on her own experiences.

“During my time in the service, being separated from my loved ones was one of the most challenging aspects of deployment. Deloitte Device Day is a crucial initiative that helps service members and veterans stay connected with their families, no matter the distance.”

“As a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, I know firsthand the dedication and sacrifice it takes to serve,” said Sen. Keith Truenow. “Keeping deployed personnel and veterans connected with their loved ones is an incredible cause. I hope we see Deloitte Device Day become an annual tradition at the Capitol.”

“Initiatives like this are crucial in ensuring that our veterans stay connected with their families and loved ones,” said Bob Asztalos, Deputy Executive Director of the FDVA. “We are grateful to Deloitte and Cell Phones for Soldiers for their partnership in supporting our veterans, and we look forward to continued collaboration to enhance the services we provide to those who have served our country.”

“What started as an idea by a couple of kids has since evolved into a nationwide effort to keep military families connected,” said Rob Bergquist, founder and director of Cell Phones for Soldiers. “We are grateful to Deloitte and FDVA for their collaboration in expanding our mission here in Florida.”

“Deloitte is proud to be part of this important initiative because it enables us to show our appreciation to those who answered the call to serve and those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said David Friedman, principal, Deloitte Consulting, LLP, and the leader of Deloitte’s work with the State of Florida.

To learn more about how the donation process works or to find additional ways to support Cell Phones for Soldiers, visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/how-it-works.

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Perfect penmanship for Florida students is closer than ever, as the Florida House passes a bill requiring instruction and evaluations of cursive writing skills.

Republican Rep. Toby Overdorf’s HB 921 would mandate instruction in cursive from second through fifth grades. Students would take a written exam showing their skills in writing uppercase and lowercase letters in cursive, along with legible words and sentences. They would also have to be able to read and apply cursive to essays and other assignments.

Cursive writing is currently taught in grades 3 through 5, but the Florida curriculum doesn’t require educators to evaluate the skill.

In support of the bill, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka talked of her son Charlie, a 21-year-old with autism, and how learning cursive helped him.

“One of the beautiful things that I’ve had the privilege to witness was when he learned to write in cursive. His grandmother taught him how to write in cursive, and when he takes that pen and gets down and focuses on that piece of paper, he is so focused, he takes his time and it is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed,” she said. “The handwriting needs to be improved, but the cursive writing is perfect.”

In his close, Overdorf argued for cursive’s importance and timelessness.

“In a world glued to screens, cursive just isn’t handwriting. It’s a master key to our past, a rocket boost for sharp minds and a ticket to adult independence. Without it, kids can’t read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, a grandparent’s note, or even sign their name on a mortgage with pride. Members, this isn’t nostalgia. It’s about empowering them to claim their heritage, unleash their potential, and step into life’s big moments with a signature that’s all their own.

While the future of the House bill appears to be written in clear, indelible ink, the script for the Senate version has yet to be penned. Sen. Erin Grall’s bill has three committee references ahead, but has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.

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