Florida Lawmakers

Along with up-to-date political coverage, The Floridian takes the opportunity to write about the profiles of Florida lawmakers, senators, & other politicians. Read more here!
Gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) has received the endorsement of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Both Rep. Donalds and Speaker Johnson were a part of the 2017 Congressional freshman class. They also both ran for the open House Speakership once Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted from the position. The Republican Conference eventually chose […]
The Senate Committee on Approprations recently advanced a bill 18-0 to the chamber floor that would create alternative pathways for prosecuting defendants with mental illnesses. Sen. Jennifer Bradey (R-Fleming Island) championed SB 168, also known as the Tristan Murphy Act. Rep. Nan Cobb (R-Eustis) is sponsoring the House version of the bill (HB 1207). Tristan […]
The Senate Committee on Appropriations recently advanced a bill 18-0 to the chamber floor that would expand Florida's anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) law to include academic institutions and non-profit organizations participating in boycotts against Israel. Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) filed the Senate bill (SB 1678). Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach) filed a House […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly encountered record-low numbers of illegal immigrants and unaccompanied minors at the southwest border. Illegal immigrant and unaccompanied minor encounters at the southwest border reached record highs during former President Joe Biden’s administration. Now, DHS is reporting a roughly 95% and 92% decrease in overall illegal immigrant and […]
The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill 78-27 on Thursday that would amend state statues to replace all mentions of “Gulf of Mexico” with “Gulf of America,” aligning Florida law with the federal government's designation begun by the Trump administration. Reps. Tyler Sirois (R-Merritt Island) and Meg Weinberger (R-Palm Beach Gardens) sponsored the bill […]
TALLAHASSEE—The Florida House passed a massive package on Thursday revamping the steps Floridians must take to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot, following hefty fines levied against groups supporting abortion and marijuana. The 45-page measure follows Gov. Ron DeSantis’s plea that the legislature crack down on the citizen initiative process, and after DeSantis led […]
With Elon Musk using the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the directive of President Donald Trump (R), over a hundred billion taxpayer dollars have been saved. However, the Department of Defense (DOD) boasts a $1.39 trillion budget. Granted, it's only been two months since President Trump came into office, but will Elon Musk and […]
President Donald Trump recently unveiled a list of tariffs to be imposed on all imports coming into American markets during a celebration themed ‘liberation day.’ President Trump has lauded tariffs as a tool for negotiation, revenue gathering, and national security enforcement, and has called tariffs “the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” Now, Trump is […]
TALLAHASSEE—Floridians who alter rain patterns, deflect the sun’s rays, or engage in any weather modification activity could now face a felony charge and a $100,000 fine, according to a bill that cleared the Senate Floor Thursday. The proposal, by Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia, repeals 13 Florida statutes related to geoengineering. It’s also the newest tool […]
The Florida Senate Committee on Appropriations advanced a bill Wednesday to the chamber floor, as well as the implementing bill and conforming bills, associated with a balanced budget for the impending 2025-2026 fiscal year. Sen. Ed Hooper (R-Clearwater), who chairs the committee, provided details of SB 2500 in a press release. The proposed budget includes several […]
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has reintroduced the Banning Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act, with Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) as co-sponsors. The legislation would ban the federal government from "doing business with anyone that supports the oppressive Maduro regime." The Florida senator introduced the bill in […]
The House Student Academy Success Subcommittee forwarded a bill 12-4 on Tuesday that would increase transparency surrounding letter grades earned by Florida schools to a more traditional 'A' through 'F' scale. Rep. Susan Valdes (R-Tampa) explained her bill (HB 1483) to the committee. "The purpose of this bill is to provide truth and transparency to […]
The Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy advanced a bill Tuesday to the chamber floor that would increase school safety protocols by expanding oversight of security personnel and tighten campus security requirements to safeguard students and faculty. Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) sponsored the bill (SB 1470). Sen. Burgess detailed his reasoning for the bill in a […]
One day after former state Sen. Randy Fine won a seat in Congress, Gov. Ron DeSantis put him on blast as a "squish" who "repels people," noting he put Fine up for a university presidency job to keep him out of the Legislature. The issue? The Florida Atlantic University board all threatened to resign if […]
Top Iranian officials have threatened the US with nuclear action if the US executes reported plans to strike Iran in the near future. Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, recently reportedly warned that Iran “will be forced” to develop nuclear weapons if it suffers attacks from […]
Republican Debbie Mayfield cruised to victory in the Senate District 19 Republican primary over three other GOP candidates on Tuesday night. According to unofficial results, Debbie Mayfield secured over 60% of the vote. She will now face Democrat Vance Ahrens in the SD 19 special general election on June 10. Mark Lightner III followed Mayfield […]
TALLAHASSEE—A Republican-led bill allowing Florida parents to collect damages if their fetus is killed faced bipartisan backlash during its first hearing on Tuesday, narrowly passing amid concerns of abortion restrictions and trivial lawsuits. SB 1284 by Sen. Erin Grall, the state Legislature’s leading pro-life advocate, expands Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to “unborn children,” which it […]
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) has defeated Democrat Gay Valimont in the Congressional District 1 special election in a narrow election. Patronis received prominent endorsements from President Donald Trump (R) and gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) this election cycle. The seat to represent CD-1 was held previously by Matt Gaetz (R-FL), […]
