As of now, there will be 3 special sessions in April, May, and possibly June to address issues that didn’t get resolved during the regular session.
REDISTRICTING
Some political analysts view the possibility of picking up 1 or 2 House seats from the Democrats. Others tell Florida Daily the governor may try to run the gauntlet and try to pick up as many as 5 seats from the democrats,
GUNS
Gun rights groups like the Gun Owners of America (GOA) weren’t too optimistic about seeing pro-gun laws being advanced here in the state and they were correct.
At the beginning of the session, GOA Florida Director Luis Valdez said he would have been surprised if GOP state lawmakers were to codify the open carry laws and repeal the age limits to buy a long rifle.
SCHOOL CHOICE
Education groups wanted to cut red tape on paperwork that must be submitted about how money is being spent on students attending a school that isn’t a public school. This mostly dealt with private and home schools. The bill went nowhere.
Florida lawmakers put forward just under 2,000 bills and resolutions as they entered the 2026 legislative session.
PROPERTY TAXES
After months of teasing that he has a plan, Gov. DeSantis says he won’t release it until the special session. The State House passed a bill to phase out property taxes over 10 years. The Senate didn’t touch it. Nobody knows what will happen over the special session, and it’s quite possible nothing meaningful may make it on the November ballot.
STATE BUDGET
It’s de ja vu. What didn’t happen this year is the same thing that didn’t happen last year. No budget, but yet another special session will be called.
The differences in dollar amounts between the two chambers is around $1.4 billion. State House is proposing a $113.6 billion budget and the State Senate is at $115 billion,
The main areas of spending concerns deal with health care, education, transportation and the environment.
