Weeks after a pro-cannabis group sued the DeSantis administration in the Florida Supreme Court for allegedly slow-walking the process to put an amendment on the ballot, Florida election officials announced that they have taken that step.
Attorney General James Uthmeier asked the court in a brief Tuesday to dismiss the case because, a day earlier, Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews completed the step that Smart & Safe Florida sued the state over in late October. This involved issuing a letter acknowledging that the organization had enough support to advance its proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis.
"The sole relief sought by Smart & Safe's petition is an order 'compelling Respondents to issue the … letter, thus advancing the [Initiative] Petition,'" the state's response petition reads. "Respondents have now sent the demanded … letter to Smart & Safe and submitted the initiative petition to the Attorney General."
This is the second lawsuit Smart & Safe had filed against the DeSantis administration over its proposal, and came months after the pro-marijuana group nearly legalized adult-use of the drug during the 2024 election cycle. Although the initiative garnered 56% support from Floridians, it fell short of the 60% threshold needed to become part of the state Constitution.
Read more at Florida Phoenix
