The ballot access proposal, which was supported by a bevy of third parties, including the Libertarians, Greens, and Socialists, won unanimous initial approval from the committee. If this proposal reaches the ballot and passes, third party or independent candidates would no longer need to circulate petitions to get on the ballot if they can pay the state qualifying fee, which is 6 percent of the officeholder's annual salary. Those who couldn't or wouldn't pay the fee could still get on the ballot by collecting the same number of signatures from registered voters required of Republican or Democratic candidates for that office. The proposed asset forfeiture amendment would make it more difficult for the government to seize money and other property from alleged criminals. Another committee member mentioned the laments he had heard privately from state and local law enforcement officials, bemoaning the hit their budgets might take if it became more difficult for them to seize property.
Some serious obstacles remain before either amendment reaches the ballot.
Both proposals are now before a drafting committee, where they might be rewritten. And even if they survive the drafting committee, they must then go back to the full Constitution Revision Commission and pass with 22 out of 36 possible votes before being placed on Florida's ballot in November.