The full Florida House will take up major changes to ballot initiatives

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The Florida House on Thursday will take up a controversial proposal that would place additional restrictions on ballot initiatives. The proposal (HB 1205), sponsored by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, emerged after fierce political battles last year over proposed constitutional amendments on abortion rights and recreational marijuana. Backers of the proposals spent more than $100 million on each of the initiatives, which fell short of garnering the 60 percent voter approval needed to pass. The House bill would impose new restrictions on petition-signature gatherers and the groups that back ballot initiatives. The proposal, for example, would require signature gatherers to be residents of Florida and the U.S. Also, one of the most contentious parts of the bill would shorten from 30 days to 10 days the length of time signature gatherers would have to submit petitions to supervisors of elections and increase penalties for late-filed petitions. The proposal also would require voters to provide identifying information, such as their driver’s license numbers, when signing petitions. The House will consider the bill during a floor session that also will include numerous other issues, including legislation (HB 575 and HB 549) to carry out President Donald Trump’s order to change the name of the Gulf Of Mexico to the Gulf of America.