TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Supporters of a Florida amendment that would protect abortion access have already passed several hurdles, including getting nearly one million petitions and a signoff from the state’s conservative Supreme Court.

But getting 60% of Florida voters to approve the amendment in November will likely still not be the last challenge.

Florida’s lawmakers have a history of watering down amendments they don’t support. And with Gov. Ron DeSantis and top Florida lawmakers in opposition to the abortion measure, it’s not out of the question that the Legislature might try.

And it’s not the only amendment Florida lawmakers disapprove of; Florida voters in November will also decide if they want recreational marijuana legalized, which DeSantis and others have opposed.

“(Lawmakers) actually have this really sophisticated set of countermeasures for how to respond to initiatives that they don’t like,” said Jonathan Marshfield, a professor of state constitutional law at the University of Florida’s law school.

Outside advocacy groups that oppose the amendments could also file court challenges that target how the amendments are carried out, which could bring the cases back in front of the state Supreme Court.

Anti-abortion groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Florida Voters Against Extremism have dismissed questions about whether they are preparing legal challenges, saying they think voters will swat the abortion amendment down.

Supporters of the amendment say they are ready to “ensure that legislators do the right thing in respecting the will of Florida voters when implementing this initiative,” said Lauren Brenzel, campaign director for the group pushing the measure.

And the group backing the marijuana amendment has also said it will work to ensure that, if it passes, lawmakers put forward properly enacted regulations on how and where marijuana is consumed.

What’s happened in the past?

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