Florida judge orders rewrite of Amendment 3 ballot language

A Florida judge ordered the ballot title and summary for Amendment 3, a major property tax measure, rewritten, ruling the current language is "clearly and conclusively defective" and politically biased. The amendment remains on the November ballot, but Attorney General James Uthmeier has 10 days to draft neutral replacement language. Leon County Circuit Judge David Frank found the title "Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes" to be a misleading political slogan, not a fair description, and criticized the summary for endorsing the amendment rather than explaining its effects. The ruling cited specific inaccuracies, including projected local revenue losses of $4.95 billion in 2027-28 and claims about small businesses and homestead exemptions that don't match the amendment's actual provisions. The ruling stems from lawsuits by former officials and a nonprofit, with plaintiffs arguing voters deserve honest ballot language. Frank retained jurisdiction over the rewrite, and the state may appeal, with mail ballots scheduled to print in late August.