In addition to all the races for elected office on the Florida ballot this November, voters will also decide whether to approve three amendments to the state Constitution. Each of these amendments requires the approval of 60 percent of voters to be added.
Amendment 1 would provide a permanent revenue stream for the state’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund. The purpose of the fund is to expand environmental conservation and wildlife preservation efforts in forests, wetlands and other at-risk areas.
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature have been all too eager to slash the budget of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. From 2011 to 2013, Tallahassee lawmakers enacted harsh budget cuts to the department. Legislators restored some funding to save political face before the election, but Florida’s environmental programs are still underfunded.
Amendment 1 would ensure that environmental protection is not simply left up to the whims of the Legislature. The Alligator recommends a vote of Yes on Amendment 1.
Without question, Amendment 2 has received the most attention from both the media and ordinary citizens. This amendment would legalize the use of medical marijuana in Florida.
Some opponents of the measure have expressed concerns about the potential for abuse of the drug if it were legalized. However, the amendment is carefully written to ensure that marijuana would be prescribed for only “debilitating medical condition(s)” such as cancer, AIDS or multiple sclerosis.
Scott has already signed a law allowing for limited use of marijuana for those suffering from conditions that cause seizures or spasms, such as epilepsy. The full legalization of medical marijuana for legitimate purposes is the logical next step.
The Florida Department of Health would have full regulatory power over the use and distribution of medical marijuana. Although a few cases of abuse may slip through the cracks, the benefits of relieving the pain of these horrible diseases far outweigh these minor costs. The Alligator recommends a vote of Yes on Amendment 2.
The third and final amendment on the ballot this year may seem arcane and irrelevant to most Floridians. However, Amendment 3 could have a significant and harmful effect on our state’s judicial system if it is approved. Through a variety of changes to the judge selection process, this amendment would allow outgoing governors to fill a significant number of judicial vacancies. The amendment would essentially reverse a 2006 decision that such vacancies be filled by the newly sworn-in governor.
Governors who have been voted out or chosen not to seek re-election should not be allowed to fill vacant judgeships at the last minute. Although the amendment would require judges to be selected from a slate by a nominating commission, governors would still likely seek out judges who share their ideology.
There is simply no reason to give lame-duck governors more control over the Florida judicial system. The Alligator recommends a vote of No on Amendment 3.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 10/30/2014]
