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Whether or not you get to vote on three proposed constitutional amendments is now up to the Florida Supreme Court. Amendments changing the way legislative districts are drawn, whether the state must abide by national health care legislation, and tax breaks for first time homebuyers have been thrown off the ballot for being misleading. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the decision is now up to 7 judges.

Protests in front of Florida’s Supreme Court are few and far between, but a case over whether Floridians can vote not to obey national health care requirements drew a small group. Bob Root doesn’t want to be forced to buy something he says he can’t afford.

“The majority of people didn’t want it to begin with and I think the state ought to have the authority to opt out,” Root said.

Whether voters get to decide the health care issue and two other amendments is now up to Florida’s highest court. Also in question is an effort to give first time homebuyers a larger homestead exemption. And there is a backdoor attempt by lawmakers to keep control of how they draw legislative districts. That case had the unusual twist of being argued by the man slated to be the next speaker of the house.

“Will the voter know, reading this amendment, that this somehow negates five and six? If you read just this amendment would you know that,” Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince asked.

Lawyers arguing against the redistricting amendment say lawmakers were grabbing for power and trying to confuse voters.

“You know, they came up with some language that seems to do one thing, but in fact is going to do another thing,” attorney Ron Meyer said. “A voter going to a voting booth will see a ballot title that says it creates standards for reapportionment, when in fact what it does is it takes away any standard that is in the constitution presently.”

There’s no timetable for the justices to rule, but there’s pressure for them to make a decision by September 2nd. That is the date ballots will start printing.

Another Ballot Proposal placed on the ballot by the legislation has a court date for September 8th.  Amendment 8 would freeze class sizes at last school years level