Court Grants Motion to Block Florida’s Voter Suppression Bill HB 1205
ORLANDO, FL — The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida ruled today in Florida Decides Healthcare INC, et al. v Cord Byrd, et al., challenging HB 1205, which prohibits non-citizens from collecting signatures for citizen-led ballot initiatives. The court ruled to block HB 1205’s non-citizen ban, restoring the ability of residents to circulate petitions.
LatinoJustice PRLDEF and Dēmos represent Poder Latinx, a grassroots organization that seeks to engage and empower Latino communities and wishes to support a statewide campaign to expand Medicaid access in Florida. Co-Counsel also represents two lawful permanent residents who wish to serve as petition circulators but are being denied their constitutional right to do so.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for our clients and for democracy in Florida,” said Cesar Ruiz, Associate Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “This decision ensures that Latino and immigrant voices can continue shaping their communities. This important win stands in stark contrast to the unprecedented attacks we have seen against our immigrant community and reminds us of how important it is to remain committed to this fight.”
“By protecting the right of immigrant leaders to circulate petitions, the court reaffirmed that our democracy works best when everyone has a voice. Today’s ruling is a powerful reminder that efforts to silence communities will not prevail—we will continue building a Florida where every family and every voice counts,” said Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx. This win is in reality a victory for democracy, fairness and representation in Florida.”
“Today, a federal judge temporarily blocked yet another attempt by the state of Florida to exclude people from political participation—this time, by banning noncitizens from gathering petitions,” said Phi Nguyen, Director of Democracy, Dēmos. “While the fight against this harmful law is not over, today’s ruling is a crucial victory for our clients, for immigrant communities, and for our democracy.”
The case builds on a recent successful challenge to a similar provision in Florida Senate Bill 7050, which barred non-citizens from assisting with voter registration efforts. In that case, a federal court also ruled that the state’s justifications for excluding non-citizens from helping qualified voters register to vote were insufficient and unconstitutional.
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About LatinoJustice
LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For over 50 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout the country. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.LatinoJustice.org
About Poder Latinx:
Poder Latinx is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the Latinx community through voter registration, civic education, and leadership development. Our mission is to empower Latinx communities to build sustained political power and actively participate in democracy. Through comprehensive voter engagement, issue advocacy, and leadership development, we create lasting change and progressive policies that reflect the needs and voices of Latinx voters to win on environmental, economic, and immigration justice.
About Demos:
Dēmos is a non-profit public policy organization working to build a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy and economy. We work hand in hand to build power with and for Black and brown communities, forging strategic alliances with grassroots and state-based organizations.