'Clean' constitution proposal tops 400,000 signatures in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A proposed ballot measure that would make it harder to amend the Florida Constitution has topped 400,000 petition signatures, as backers continue trying to put it before voters in November 2020.
The Keep Our Constitution Clean political committee had submitted 407,805 valid petition signatures to the state Division of Elections as of early Tuesday afternoon, an increase of more than 100,000 signatures over the past month, according to the division website.
The committee needs to submit 766,200 valid signatures by a February deadline to be able to get on the 2020 ballot. Also, it needs Florida Supreme Court approval of the proposed ballot wording.
The proposal would make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments. Under it, voters would have to approve constitutional amendments twice --- instead of once --- for them to take effect.
The committee has been funded by the non-profit Keep Our Constitution Clean, Inc., which had put $5.5 million into the initiative as of Oct. 31.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.