FLORIDA, USA — If there's one thing people will take away from Florida in 2021 - besides "Champa Bay" and the coronavirus - it's that the state loves its legal battles.
For nearly the entire year, lawyers representing the state were in and out of court defending laws and executive orders passed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. There were some victories and losses, but many high-profile cases never met a definitive ending.
In fact, quite a few will spill into the new year.
From election laws to sports betting, here are some Florida cases to keep an eye on in 2022.
Elections law
2022 will see many high-profile elections across the country, including here in Florida. But, a current legal battle between the Sunshine State and voting rights groups may shape how those ballots are cast.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker is set to hear arguments from both sides beginning on Jan. 31 in a trial that challenges a law passed by lawmakers.
SB 90 changes Florida's vote-by-mail system, including restricting dropbox use to a county's early voting hours rather than allowing ballots to be dropped off 24/7, making in-person monitoring of all dropbox locations mandatory as well as a whole host of other security measures for vote-by-mail. Voters would also be required to submit vote-by-mail requests every election cycle instead of every two cycles.
Democratic lawmakers have said the law will make it harder for seniors, people of color, and individuals with disabilities to vote.
UF professors
Another trial connected to Florida's elections law is scheduled to be heard on Jan. 7, but this one does not involve the state.
In November, the University of Florida prevented six of its professors from testifying against the state in its election law trial. The school would eventually reverse its decision, but the damage had already been done. Six professors would file a lawsuit against the university, claiming it had encroached on their First Amendment rights.
"Anti-riot" law
Following protests and riots stemming from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, DeSantis made HB 1, also known as the "anti-riot" law, his top priority in 2021.
However, since its passage, it has been met with legal challenges from groups like the ACLU, NAACP Florida State Conference and Dream Defenders. The groups argued that the law was unconstitutional by violating free speech rights and could have a chilling effect on people’s right to assemble.
A federal judge would eventually rule that the new law was unconstitutional. But, in January, an appeals court will review the case again.
Sports gambling
DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida are looking to an appeals court to help save what is left of a gaming compact that was signed into law in 2021.
The compact, which gave the tribe sole ownership of online sports betting in Florida, was recently ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. United States District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich found the compact violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act as well as the state's own constitution.