Florida - Tuesday December 5, 2023: The political action committee of the Florida Rights of Nature Network has announced the suspension of their effort to get their proposed 'Right to Clean Water' amendment to the Florida Constitution on the ballot in next year’s elections.
Campaign organizers acknowledged in a release to the media Tuesday that they won't be able to meet the deadline to gather the nearly 900,000 signatures they need for the proposed amendment to be placed on ballot next year. Just over 100,000 petitions were signed.
"Despite over 100 active volunteers working toward this common need, we fell short of the number of signed petitions we needed to qualify for the 2024 ballot," states the release.
The Florida Rights of Nature Network has advised its volunteers to stop collecting petition signatures. Residents who may have already signed a petition, but not turned it in, are being asked to still go ahead and mail their petition in, for the record.
The proposed amendment would create a fundamental right to clean water for all state residents, which would allow individuals, as well as businesses or other organizations, to take legal action against any state agency that fails to protect water resources. The full text of the lengthy amendment can be seen on the right to Clean Water website at: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/about-7
The campaign to get the Right to Clean Water amendment into the state constitution is not over however. Organizers say they will re-launch a new petition drive in January.
Details of their 2026 campaign will be announced on January 25th. The Florida Rights of Nature Network says the next petition campaign will include:
• Highly experienced professionals honing campaign strategies and operations
• A fundraising effort to ensure the greatest yield of signed petitions, on time
• Greater in-person / local support to volunteer organizers, statewide