Florida Legislature

TALLAHASSEE, FL—As Lawmakers enter the third week of the Legislative Session, with it comes a slew of hard-hitting bills, sure to ignite debate in both chambers. This week's agenda covers sex reassignment insurance coverage, the banning of identity politics in teacher preparation courses, drunk driving, and much more. Licenses and Drunk Driving Monday will see […]

In the wake of Gov. DeSantis' staggering defeat in Iowa, Florida pushes on; continuing their rapid-fire slew of novel legislation in the second week of the 60-day Legislative session. From a sprawling defamation bill to felonies for child groomers to reworked child labor laws, Florida lawmakers made sure to cover it all. In addition, the […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL---A new bill defining and punishing child-grooming passed House committee Friday afternoon, branding offenders with a second-degree felony. If the bill becomes law, it would make Florida the first state to have a criminal definition of grooming. "The closest thing to the Devil in human form are the people that do this." The sponsor […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- Senate President Kathleen Passidomo's sweeping healthcare agenda is on the move, following the Florida Senate's unanimous passage of her widespread reforms Thursday morning. Key points of the plan include increasing Floridian doctors and generating new facilities for women to give birth. The project is composed of two bills, SB 7016 and SB […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A new bill would classify allegations of racism, sexism, or homophobia as defamation, branding the defendant with fines of up to $35,000. The legislation would also remove a journalist's usage of anonymous sources, facilitating the process to sue a reporter for defamation. SB 1780, proposed by Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur, considers claims […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- Watchdog group Defend Florida held a press conference Wednesday afternoon, advocating for tighter election security and elimination of voter fraud. Florida Republican lawmakers Rep. Rick Roth and Rep. Doug Bankson were among the speakers, highlighting 8 bills this session designed to protect elections. "We don't have ballot security in the state of […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- In a push toward increased protection of children, the Florida House voted on a new bill banning social media usage for children under 16. Social media platforms in violation of the bill would face a $50,000 fine per penalty, and up to $10,000 in civil damages to be paid to the minor […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- In two exclusive interviews with The Floridian, Democrat Sen. Shevrin Jones and Republican Rep. Alex Rizo responded to Gov. Ron DeSantis' 30 point loss at the Iowa Caucus. As Democrats point at America's rejection of the Governor, Republicans are determined to present a unified front. "My hope is that we as Republicans […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A newly filed bill in the Florida Legislature would allow "zombie drug" xylazine to once again be administered to animals in Florida. The legislation would remove xylazine animal drug products from the list of Schedule 1 controlled substances, easing veterinary access to the drug. "This bill seeks to create an exemption for […]

State Representative Alina Garcia (R-FL) sat down for an exclusive interview with The Floridian to discuss one of the bills she co-sponsored, HB 1. The legislation would require social media platforms to “use verification methods to verify ages of account holders.” It would also require social media platforms to “prohibit minors from creating new accounts,” […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A new Republican-backed bill altering cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees is dividing conservative voters. Despite passing its first committee unanimously, Florida citizens worry about unequal benefits and slowed pension funding. HB 151, proposed by Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera (R-Coral Gables), aims to reset the annual COLA to 3 percent for all retired […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A new proposal urging the federal government to tighten up immigration laws and secure the Southern border has reached the 2024 Legislative Session. If passed, the memorial would be sent to the U.S. Congress illustrating Florida's support for a tougher immigration stance. "What we can do as a state is stop creating […]

With the controversial abortion issue most likely being on the 2024 ballot in Florida, Democrats are pushing hard to beat Republicans on the issue in Florida.  State Senator Jason Pizzo (D) remains confident that most Floridians believe in a woman's right to choose to have an abortion or not. Democrats recently celebrated a huge victory this […]

Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has forged the most significant cultural shift in recent years with his very conservative policies as governor of Florida.  However, his term ends in just two years, leaving Republicans without a leader.  State Senator Jason Pizzo (D) thinks this could be an opportune moment for Democrats to seize back control of […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- The Florida Legislature is pushing for strong foreign policy action against Venezuela and their dictator Nicolas Maduro. Following Venezuela's violation of a deal granting sanction relief, Florida has taken steps to urge the federal government to reinstate all sanctions against them. "The November 30th deadline has passed without compliance," SM 398's sponsor, […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- House Democrats hope for a united front on a new bill defining and protecting against antisemitism. Just yesterday, dissension within the party caused concerns that the bill may be weaponized against Palestinian supporters. "It's already been through its two committees, it's ready for the floor," HB 187 sponsor Democrat Rep. Mike Gottlieb […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- After a late start amid a raging storm, Gov. DeSantis delivered his 2024 State of the State address. He hit on topics such as education, Israel, and immigration, emphasizing Florida's existence as a "fre e state". "2024 is going to be a banner year for the state if Florida," The Governor began […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A new bill expanding the definition of antisemitism in Florida statute faced backlash Monday morning. Starting off the Legislative Session with a bang, the bill aims to codify and delineate protections of Jewish citizens into law. "It's my pleasure to bring the bill, but it's sad that I have to," The bill's […]