Weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis sparked a political power struggle with Republican lawmakers, the Legislature on Friday showed signs of falling in line with his call for a special session by announcing its start time.
But it won't happen willingly.
In a memo issued Friday, Republicans Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez announced—with tinges of reluctance—that the special session will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday, as DeSantis requested. The memo, however, did not specify what topics would be addressed during the session.
"As we are constitutionally required, the Florida Senate and House of Representatives will convene in special session on Monday, January 27th at 10:30 a.m. in our respective chambers," the letter reads, urging lawmakers to make travel arrangements as soon as possible.
"We look forward to seeing you in Tallahassee."
The memo echoes a veiled threat in an earlier letter, published last week hours after DeSantis announced that he would call a special session focusing on illegal immigration, condo reform, and the petition process.
Albritton and Perez called the move "irresponsible" and rife with just "fragments of ideas," reminding DeSantis that the Legislature has the power to set the time limits and agenda of a special session.
"Florida’s Constitution compels our attendance at a special session unilaterally called by the Governor. However, the power to convene a special session also resides with the presiding officers," they said at the time, hinting that the Legislature could gavel in and immediately gavel out the session, as they did to former Gov. Charlie Crist in 2010.
"As the people’s elected representatives, the Legislature, not the Governor, will decide when and what legislation we consider," the leaders added.
Since President Donald Trump weighed into the political tug-of-war—the first of its kind under DeSantis, once considered to be the potential next President—and backed DeSantis, Albritton and Perez have stayed quiet.
DeSantis told reporters on Thursday that while he hasn't spoken to the leaders since Trump entered the fray, he will remain a "junkyard dog" latched onto the Legislature's ankles—that is, he won't give up on the session.
Despite this, no bills have yet been filed for the special session. This includes ones dealing with illegal immigration, which DeSantis has been particularly gung-ho about especially after Trump signed a slew of anti-illegal immigration executive orders earlier this week.
Even for the regular session, only Sen. Randy Fine, who has feuded with DeSantis and criticized the special session call, has filed a bill on immigration.
The special session will begin on Jan. 27, though it remains unclear how long it will last.
