TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A campaign to expand Medicaid in Florida is delaying its push to get the issue on the ballot until 2028, citing a new state law restricting the process to get constitutional amendments before voters.
The group Florida Decides Healthcare had been working to get the measure on the 2026 ballot, while challenging the law in a federal court. That case is slated to go to trial in January.
On Thursday, the campaign said that by passing the new law known as H.B. 1205, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP-controlled Legislature “changed the ballot initiative rules mid-campaign” in a way that “deliberately undermined” the group's push to gather enough petition signatures from Florida voters to get the measure on the 2026 ballot.
“HB 1205 imposed roadblocks that made signature gathering nearly impossible on a 2026 timeline,” the campaign said in a statement.
Representatives for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The law signed by DeSantis in May sets new limits on how many petitions Florida voters can collect in their effort to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot, a provision punishable by a felony if voters violate it. The measure also bars non-U.S. citizens and non-Florida residents from gathering signed petitions for ballot initiatives.
The Florida Legislature pushed the changes months after a majority of the state's voters supported ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights and legalize recreational marijuana, though the measures fell short of the 60% needed to pass. Lawmakers argued that the restrictions are needed to reform a process they claim has been tainted by fraud.
“HB 1205 wasn’t about transparency, it was sabotage aimed directly at citizen-led ballot initiatives. This law may have delayed us until 2028, but it will not stop us,” said Mitch Emerson, executive director of Florida Decides Healthcare.
Nearly 150 bills were introduced across 15 state legislatures this year seeking to make it harder for initiatives to qualify for the ballot or win approval by voters — nearly double the amount of just two years ago, according to the Fairness Project, a progressive group that has backed dozens of ballot initiatives in states. Voting rights advocates say the trend betrays the promise of direct democracy.
Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
FILE - People walk past a "vote" sign on the first day of early voting in the general election in Miami, on Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan didn’t let city rival Inter Milan open up too big a gap at the top of Serie A as it fought back to win 3-1 at in-form Como on Thursday, with Adrien Rabiot winning a penalty and then scoring two goals.
Inter had moved six points clear of Milan and Napoli with a 1-0 win over Lecce on Wednesday, coupled with Napoli’s frustrating draw against Parma.
Milan’s victory saw the Rossoneri cut the gap back to three points.
It didn’t start off so well for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, however.
Como — which was sixth in Serie A — got off to the perfect start when a corner was taken short and then floated in for Marc-Oliver Kempf to head the hosts into the lead in the 10th minute.
Como dominated but Milan leveled on the stroke of halftime when it was awarded a penalty after Rabiot was brought down by Kempf and Christopher Nkunku’s spot kick squirmed under the body of Jean Butez.
Milan turned the match around completely 10 minutes into the second half. Rafael Leão controlled a crossfield pass and then cut inside before lifting the ball over for Rabiot to chest down and volley across into the bottom right corner.
And Rabiot sealed the match shortly before full time when Niclas Füllkrug headed a ball back to the France midfielder and he drilled hard and low into the near corner.
Bologna ended a miserable run as it fought back to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in a match full of spectacular goals.
Bologna hadn’t won since November and got off to a poor start when it gave away the ball in the opposition penalty area and Antoine Bernède raced almost from box to box before laying it off for Gift Orban to fire home.
Riccardo Orsolini curled in an equalizer following a smart free kick and equally impressive goals from Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro put Bologna 3-1 up at halftime.
Bologna midfielder Remo Marco Freuler accidentally turned a cross into his own net in the 71st minute.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Verona's Gift Orban, left, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)
Bologna's Santiago Castro (9), right, celebrates goal 1-3 during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)
Como's Marc-Oliver Kempf, center, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)
Como's Nico Paz, left, and AC Milan's Luka Modric in action during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)
AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)
