TALLAHASSEE -- A political committee that led unsuccessful efforts to pass a constitutional amendment on abortion rights is fighting the state's attempt to impose a $328,000 fine related to petitions gathered for the initiative.

The dispute between the Floridians Protecting Freedom political committee and the Florida Department of State went to the state Division of Administrative Hearings last week.

The Department of State sent a letter Oct. 11 notifying the committee about the fine amid a fierce political battle about what appeared on the Nov. 5 ballot as Amendment 4.

The letter said the owner of a petition-circulating business in late 2023 reported to the department's Office of Election Crimes & Security that he suspected fraud by eight of his employees who were gathering petition signatures for the initiative.

The owner of the business brought 600 petitions and said he thought a large number of them were fraudulent because of issues including incorrect dates of birth and signatures that appeared forged, the letter said. The state office made copies of the petitions and returned the original versions to the man.