Florida's regular legislative session kicks off January 13. Lawmakers are slated to take up a slew of topics from artificial intelligence to affordable housing. Below is a list of some of the major issues the WFSU news team will be tracking. In the meantime, if you need a refresher on the legislature and how it all works, we've got a quick guide to the process in our Florida Legislature 101 series.
One important note: Florida's legislative session is typically slated for just 60 days, but already, state leaders are identifying issues they think will take more time than the regular session allows. Expect special sessions to come this spring.
Budget
Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled his Floridians First budget proposal last month. The proposal has a strong focus on education and includes an ask for $1.56 billion to give public school teachers a raise.
Other areas of focus include healthcare spending, transportation and infrastructure, and a bonus program for law enforcement recruits. DeSantis is also pitching another Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday to give shoppers a sales tax break on items such as firearms and ammunition.
"What the budget does is it builds off the success that we've had," DeSantis said when unveiling his proposal back in December. "This budget is entitled Floridians First, because that's the focus of it. It's putting our people first and making sure we're good stewards."
Passing a balanced budget is the one thing lawmakers are constitutionally required to do each year. But this year, the process could be harder than usual. Revenue estimators have been warning about increased uncertainty stemming largely from changing policies at the federal level.
Costs are rising in areas such as safety net programs like SNAP, and officials have already raised concerns about the possibility of cuts to the state's higher education budget. With all that combined, some have questioned whether lawmakers will be able to hammer out a budget deal by the end of their regular 60-day session, positing that a special session may be needed. Last year, lawmakers extended the session by 45 days while they worked to hammer out budget differences and tax policy.
Redistricting
Speaking of special sessions, Governor Ron DeSantis has called for a special session on redistricting to take place in April.
The Florida House has been moving forward with committee meetings on potentially drawing new congressional district maps. But the governor has said more time is needed as he awaits a ruling on a U.S. Supreme Court case. Meanwhile, Democrats are decrying the effort, calling it partisan and a violation of Florida's constitution, which prohibits maps drawn to support any specific party or candidate. The conversation comes amid efforts in Red and Blue states across the country to draw new maps and potentially gain new congressional seats ahead of the midterm elections.
Property Taxes
Another major topic of discussion leading up to the legislative session has been cutting state property taxes. In a recent memo to lawmakers, Senate President Ben Albritton said he's heard from the governor "that it may be appropriate for the Legislature to address property tax relief after the regular session."
"I'm certainly open to addressing property tax relief at a later time," Albritton went on to say. "Major revisions to our property tax structure are a big deal. We owe it to Floridians to devote the time necessary to get this right. The substance is more important than the timing."
So far, more than half a dozen proposals are up for consideration that would make cuts or reductions to property taxes. The issue has been a major focus for Gov. DeSantis, but local government officials have raised concerns about the impact a property tax reduction could have on their ability to function. Any reduction in property taxes would have to go before the voters and receive at least 60% support.
Rural Renaissance
Senate President Ben Albritton is hoping to give his Rural Renaissance package another push this year. The president's priority failed last session after the House dismantled or altered major pieces of the legislation. The measure, carried by Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) has already cleared Senate committee hearings and is ready for a vote by the full chamber.
"As someone who represents just over 30% of the rural counties in the state, I have seen firsthand, sitting down and talking with many of them after last session, some disheartened, but I encouraged them that the process doesn't stop after one session," Simon said while presenting the proposal to the Senate Appropriations Committee. "We still get another chance to come back and take another bite at the apple, and we'd work extremely hard to try to get this thing across the finish line."
The measure aims to boost funding for health care, education, and economic development in rural counties. It would also create a new office within the Florida Department of Commerce, called the Office of Rural Prosperity, tasked with helping rural local governments access grants and state and local resources.
Albritton says he anticipates a Senate vote on the bill within the first week of the legislative session.
Artificial Intelligence
DeSantis has unveiled what he's called an AI bill of rights. The proposal prohibits the use of a person's name, image or likeness without permission and puts protections in place to ensure that parents can track conversations their children have with large language models. Lawmakers also devoted a week of their presession committee meetings to discussing AI-related issues. One topic of concern then centered on the data centers that help to power AI technology. They pitched ideas that include allowing local governments control where such centers are built and hope to put parameters in place to help protect residents from paying for higher energy needs the centers pose. But the effort comes as President Donald Trump is working to block states from passing AI regulation.
Firearms
Several issues relating to firearms use are up for discussion this session, including efforts to lower the age to purchase a long gun or rifle. The measure would lower the age for such a purchase from 21 to 18, reversing a law put in place following the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. Lawmakers are also set to talk about more gun-related issues, including a move to allow certain faculty and staff to openly carry firearms on college and university campuses.
Civil Liability
A measure moving forward this session would allow parents to collect damages for a lost pregnancy caused by someone's wrongdoing or negligence. The measure has garnered concern from abortion access advocates that it could be used to harass abortion providers or women who seek abortion care. A similar bill last session died after concerns that the measure could negatively impact access to fertility treatment.
Lawmakers are also looking into another change to the state's Wrongful Death Act. This one would let adult parents, or the parents of an adult child, who dies from a wrongful act or medical negligence to sue.
Immigration
Lawmakers held a series of special sessions last year on immigration reform. But even more issues are slated to come up this time around.
Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) filed a 34-page bill last week that would impact non-citizens in several ways, including presuming certain non-citizens are at fault in car accidents, restrict their employment, and preventing Florida banks from giving them loans.
The bill will also levy penalties against employers, including making employers who knowingly hire more than 50 undocumented workers subject to a third-degree felony charge. It would also impose fines and other penalties for employers who fail to check their new hire's residency status on E-Verify, a federal database that checks a person's legal working status.
Education Issues
Use of Florida's school voucher program has skyrocketed. But that's come with some growing pains. Lawmakers are working on efforts to ensure education funding money gets to students and also follows those students as they change schools.
WFSU will be keeping tabs on these and other issues over the next 60 (or more) days.
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