Florida elections officials have taken early steps under pressure from activists to advance a proposed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana to next year's ballot, legal filings show.

The procedural move comes after the campaign behind the issue, Smart & Safe Florida, filed a complaint with the Florida Supreme Court, alleging that officials in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ' administration were trying to improperly block the measure from getting on the ballot in 2026.

In a Nov. 17 legal filing, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd argued that the lawsuit is now moot and should be dismissed. That's after state officials issued a formal letter to Smart & Safe Florida and submitted the proposed ballot amendment to the state's attorney general.

Those steps represent official co

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