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Florida lawmakers’ results midway through DeSantis’ last session: Not much

Florida’s GOP-dominated Legislature had goals and dreams of conservative moves that would cap off Gov. Ron DeSantis’ last year in office. Instead, lawmakers are stumbling into the midway point of their annual session.

And it’s not clear what — if anything of substance — will actually pass this year.

There’s been no serious movement on a property tax overhaul, despite a persistent push from DeSantis. The governor’s own bid to put guardrails on artificial intelligence appears to be in serious jeopardy. Top priorities of legislative leaders have moved in one chamber but not the other.

It’s a startling turnaround from those previous sessions when DeSantis was at his political zenith and legislators slammed through a long line of measures designed to appeal to conservative voters. That’s been replaced with shrugs and maybes from many top lawmakers about what can be accomplished this year.

Normally in election years, GOP lawmakers work in tandem with the governor on everything from a please-everyone budget to signature legislative achievements that can be touted on the campaign trail. That may not be the case this time around.

Senate bill on local government budget transparency moves through Committee

A Senate Committee reluctantly cleared a bill aiming to make local governments more transparent as some lawmakers warned it may be difficult for small and rural governments to enforce.

The Senate Community Affairs Committee passed SB 1566, which would require local governments to post budget details online, with a 7-1 vote Tuesday. 

Hearing the concerns, Sen. Nick DiCeglie said he was open to feedback to improve his bill as it headed to its second Committee stop.

“I’m very, very open to having those conversations moving forward,” said DiCeglie, a St. Petersburg Republican.

SB 1566 would require local governments to post their budgets online for the public to be able to read and analyze. 

The budget information would be ordered to stay online for five years, instead of two years.

Kat Cammack seeks USDA disaster declaration following crop freezes throughout Florida

U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack wants the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare an emergency after a cold front froze Florida crops.

The Gainesville Republican led a bipartisan letter signed by every member of Florida’s congressional delegation to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins asking for a federal disaster declaration after extreme cold hit the state.

“Florida farmers are facing a devastating crop crisis caused by freezing temperatures, all while being responsible for feeding 150 million Americans during the winter. A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot secure itself,” Cammack posted on X.

Cammack’s office toured blueberry farms in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District and found many crops appearing barren after the harsh cold. That’s not the only commodity impacted, with producers of watermelons, green beans, sugar cane and sweet corn also reporting damage to the Congresswoman’s office.

Her letter followed up on a request by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. The state official called for a disaster declaration for all counties impacted by freezing temperatures in late January and early February.

House advances tighter restrictions on non-resident enrollment at preeminent universities

In response to concerns about Florida students not getting into in-state universities, legislation moving through the House would halve the number of out-of-state applicants being admitted.

The House Budget Committee is advancing HB 1279 by Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, a Lakeland Republican who would trade the higher tuition paid by students from outside Florida for a higher number of students educated in the state being able to attend its best universities.

“Our Florida preeminent universities are built and funded by Florida’s taxpayers. Their first priority should be to educate Florida’s students first,” Kincart Jonsson said.

“We are Florida lawmakers. Right now, too many seats go to out-of-state students while qualified Floridians with the same or better performance metrics are overlooked. These are many of our top performing students. Future doctors, engineers, teachers, and entrepreneurs, who are more likely to stay here and grow our economy, given the opportunity. Our flagships can remain world class while putting Floridians first.”

Should it become law, Kincart Jonsson’s bill requires preeminent state universities, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, Florida International University and the University of Central Florida to reserve 95% of fall slots for first-time college students for Florida resident students, a number ultimately to be based on a three-year average.