Posted on Fri, Jan. 16, 2004
Lobby trying to limit charter changes
One of Florida's top special-interest groups is lobbying to derail other special-interest efforts to amend the state Constitution by citizen initiative.
BY MARC CAPUTO
mcaputo@herald.com
TALLAHASSEE - With slick red-white-and-blue pamphlets and a populist-sounding website, one of Florida's most powerful pro-business groups unveiled a plan Thursday to attempt to restrict voters' rights to change the state Constitution.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce said it has formed a committee, VoteSmartFlori
da.org, that will encourage the Legislature to call a special election this year to ask Floridians to require any proposed constitutional amendments to be approved by two-thirds of the voters, rather than by a simple majority.
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They say this is the year to act, because nearly 50 proposed initiatives are vying to make November's ballot.
Among them are proposals to legalize marijuana, lower the voting age to 16, give citizens the right to vote on local growth-plan changes, and punish lawmakers who fail to carry out the intent of voter-approved amendments.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/7720992.htm