Florida Legislature

The Floridian is a statewide and national political media platform that covers government affairs, elections, public policy, and campaigns on Florida politics. These stories are focused on Florida and the inner workings of the Florida Legislature
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday morning that he is working with the Florida Legislature to certify four Constitutional amendments under Article V, including term limits for members of Congress. A press release from the Governor's office reads, “Today, Governor Ron DeSantis called for constitutional reforms to hold the U.S. Congress accountable and, in doing […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A new bill would prohibit sleeping on or in public property, providing instead for locally-funded "camps" for the homeless. The bill faced strong opposition, with critics claiming the bill would exacerbate, not address, homelessness. "One of the greatest challenges facing our nation is chronic homelessness," SB 1530's sponsor, Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, said in […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Artificial Intelligence use in political advertisements faces new regulations with a Florida bill requiring disclaimers of AI use in ads. Violators would be subject to civil penalties imposed by the Federal Elections Commission or an administrative law judge. "The increasing access of sophisticated AI generated content threatens the integrity of elections by facilitating the […]
NAPLES, FL—In a press conference Monday morning, Gov. DeSantis outlined the "weakness" of President Biden and the desire for fiscal responsibility and holding Washington accountable. "Weakness invites aggression, and Biden has been weak since the day he took office. He gave Iran a lifeline with massive reliefs and sanctions, of course, they're going to use […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Gov. DeSantis has weighed in on potential legal concerns for the social media ban for minors bill that passed the House Floor Thursday. Gov. DeSantis explained that while he agreed with the bill, it was likely to evolve to expand parental rights. "I think social media has been a net negative for our youth […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida takes a step toward further intervening in the Texas border crisis with a new bill expanding Governor DeSantis' control of the State Guard. The State Guard is under the Governor's final and ultimate authority, and HB 1551 would allow him to deploy his guard nationwide. “We've got FHP Fish and Wildlife, we've had […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida's State Board of Education announced last week their imposition of "strict regulations" on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives on college campuses, leading the James Madison Institute, a libertarian non-profit think tank, to laud the state's efforts. The board's ruling will prohibit taxpayer funds going toward DEI programs and replaces the "Principles of Sociology" […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A new bill would help fund local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to create sting operations to track down and arrest child predators. The bill would financially assist agents who pose as children online to locate and prosecute pedophiles and child abusers. "There are countless stories hearing about sting operations," HB 1131's sponsor, […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida House passed a measure banning social media for minors Wednesday afternoon, citing positively correlated levels of child suicide and usage of these platforms. Meanwhile, Democrats voiced concerns over restricted parental rights and the positives that social media can provide. "Studies have shown that social media is having a devastating impact on our […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida is on the precipice of joining 8 other states in prohibiting minors from visiting porn websites. This bill requires pornographic websites to impose an age verification tool, ban access to minors, and have a readily available link on their site to report violations. "When you live in a world where there is a […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Florida is calling for an Article V Convention to circumvent Congress and amend the U.S. Constitution to provide term limits for Congressional members. 34 states would have to call for an Article V Convention, which has never happened before, in order to amend the Constitution. "For hundreds of years, for decades now, everyone has […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Exposing fentanyl to first responders would become a first-degree felony under a proposed Florida bill. The measure would penalize any user whose fentanyl causes a law enforcement officer or first responder to overdose or incur serious bodily harm. "This bill makes sure that individuals that put our first responders' lives at risk are held […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL — A new Florida bill would strengthen the penalties for driving without a valid license, making third-time offenders liable for a stint in jail. Though the bill passed the committee unanimously, concerns were raised over the impact on immigrant drivers. SB 1324, sponsored by Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, creates a three-level process for […]
Much like it has been the case with one stroke of Governor Ron DeSantis’s veto pen, a legislative measure that would pay for former President Donald Trump’s legal bills, and the legal bills of any future political statewide candidates, was nixed, or withdrawn from consideration in the Florida Senate. Fresh off of his withdrawal from […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Keiser University will host their annual "Keiser Days" at the Florida Capitol during the fourth week of the Legislative Session. The school hopes to continue addressing the growing nursing shortage in the state and win big with a new bill designed to help nurse anesthetists. "As one of Florida's largest private, non-profit universities, Keiser […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A new education bill would prohibit teachers' prep classes from including a curriculum on the existence of systemic racism, sexism, or oppression in Florida institutions. The bill would also prevent "identity politics" and any "distortion of historical events". "I am looking for the best environment for our students so they can be as successful […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A Florida bill expanding health insurance coverage to people de-transitioning from sex reassignment procedures and changing requirements on licenses from "gender" to "sex" passed down party lines Monday afternoon. In a lengthy public testimony and debate, Democrats opposed the bill for its alleged dangerous impact on transgender communities. "I call this the compassion and […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—A new Florida bill would create a $5 million "Freedom Fighters Fund" to pay former President Donald Trump's legal fees, who currently faces 91 felony counts. Backed by the state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, the money would come from fees paid by candidates running for office and restored with voluntary donations when a […]
