Campaign delays push to expand Medicaid in Florida until 2028, citing new state law

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