TALLAHASSEE, FL — In a sweeping move that voting rights advocates say undermines democratic participation, Governor Ron DeSantis has signed House Bill 1205 into law, dramatically restricting Florida voters’ ability to place policy measures on the ballot.
According to a press release from the Fairness Project, HB 1205 makes it a criminal offense for most citizens to collect more than 25 signatures for a ballot initiative—permitting only those from their immediate family and themselves—effectively rendering the citizen-led ballot measure process inaccessible.
“HB 1205 restricts constituents’ rights and voices in policymaking, concentrating legislative power in the hands of a few,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of the Fairness Project.
The bill includes provisions imposing harsh penalties—fines, jail time, and even the revocation of voting rights—for technical errors such as late submissions or for having a prior felony conviction among initiative sponsors. Critics argue these measures weaponize bureaucratic errors to intimidate grassroots political organizing.
Hall called the legislation part of a broader trend toward “minority rule,” accusing DeSantis of pushing policies in defiance of popular opinion. “Floridians are protesting this extreme restriction of their democratic rights,” she said.
This move follows earlier actions by DeSantis to increase the threshold for passing constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%, a change that has blocked voter-supported measures such as reinstating abortion rights. According to the Fairness Project, DeSantis opposed the abortion rights initiative with millions in taxpayer-funded legal challenges.
Florida is not alone. The Fairness Project reports that at least 15 states have introduced more than a hundred measures to restrict access to ballot initiatives and weaken direct democracy.
In response, Florida-based groups have mounted legal and political challenges. Florida Decides Healthcare has filed a complaint questioning the constitutionality of legislation that targets ballot access and restricts the political participation of everyday citizens.
Voting rights advocates warn that HB 1205 reflects a broader erosion of democratic norms.
“This is an unconstitutional power grab,” said Hall. “Florida will not stand by a leader who fails to uphold the very freedom and liberty that defines America.”
