As was expected, a three judge panel ordered Earned Sick Time be placed on the next ballot. However, the next scheduled county election is August 2014. This is why advocates for Sick Time should have demanded a special election after the County Commission kept the referendum off the November ballot last year.
Despite the ruling, Orange County voters still may never get to weigh in. Sen. David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs) and Rep. Steve Precourt (R-Orlando) have signaled they are working on pre-emption legislation backed by the Chamber of Commerce that would prevent local counties from adopting earned sick time measures.
The judges did accept the County arguments and were clear the county’s interpretation that led us to this point was not reasonable. “The charter plainly requires Orange County either to adopt the voter initiative or to call a referendum on the petition’s adoption and place the petition on the ballot,” the panel ruled.
