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10 big issues to watch as Florida’s legislative session hits halfway point

Florida’s annual 60-day legislative session reached its halfway point Wednesday. Here are updates on 10 big issues in the session:

Budget: The House and Senate have proposed spending plans that top $115 billion for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which will start July 1. The proposals set the stage for negotiations on a final budget in the coming weeks. Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a $114.4 billion budget, down from $119.1 billion in the current year.

Education: The Senate during the first week of the session passed a combination of bills designed to reduce regulations on public schools, a priority of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. A key issue has been potential changes related to state-mandated exams. House proposals are pending.

Health care: In another priority of Passidomo, the Senate passed a wide-ranging plan aimed at increasing the number of physicians in the state and expanding access to health care. For example, it would increase state-funded medical residency slots for new physicians. A similar proposal is moving through the House.

Insurance: With homeowners continuing to struggle with increased property insurance rates and losing policies, it remains unclear whether lawmakers will make significant insurance changes. A series of proposals would effectively expand access to coverage through the state’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

A bill that would restrict pride flags in public buildings stalls in committee

Hours after Gov. DeSantis voiced his support, a Senate committee adjourned without voting on the bill — putting it in jeopardy.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday supported a proposal that would restrict what flags can be flown at schools and other public buildings, as critics of the bill — and Senate analysts — questioned prohibiting flags that represent a “political viewpoint.”

The bill (SB 1120), however, stalled, in a Senate committee hours after the governor backed it.  Under the bill, government agencies, public schools, colleges and universities would be prohibited from flying any flag that “represents a political viewpoint” including any “politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint.” Debate has focused heavily on the potential that it could bar LGBTQ pride flags at public buildings.

Answering questions from reporters, DeSantis said he had not seen the bill but signaled that he would back it. “If you take a position that, we’re going to fly the American flag and the state of Florida flag, and that’s it, it’s not targeting anybody. It’s basically saying that we’re not going to get into this business of doing this. So I think that’s totally fine,” the governor said during an appearance in Orange City.

House subcommittee advances Florida health legislation, with some changes

The House Health Care Appropriations subcommittee unanimously advanced the measure, and it next goes to the Health and Human Services Committee before a floor vote.

A bill to increase the health care workforce and patient access was approved Tuesday by a Florida House subcommittee, but not before adjusting the amount of money going to several programs.

After approval of an amendment, the House Health Care Appropriations subcommittee changed proposed funds allocated for medical residencies, loan repayments, telehealth minority maternity care, nursing education and other programs. The panel unanimously advanced the measure (HB 1549), and it next goes to the Health and Human Services Committee before a floor vote.

The full Senate in January passed two companion bills, both part of a Live Healthy package that has been a priority of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and backed by House Speak Paul Renner.

What does the data show on deadly shootings by 18- to 20-year-olds?

Nearly six years after a 19-year-old fatally shot 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida Republicans are pushing to lower the legal age for buying rifles and other long guns back to 18.

Lawmakers in 2018 raised the purchase age to 21 following revelations that Stoneman Douglas shooter Nikolas Cruz had legally purchased the AR-15-style weapon he used in the attack.

Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was killed in the shooting, testified against lowering the age. “Our current law is working,” he said during a Jan. 30 Criminal Justice Subcommittee hearing in Tallahassee. “I implore each of you to remember that law is written in the blood of the victims, including my beautiful daughter, Gina.”

Jayden D’Onofrio, 19, also spoke against the bill, recalling that he was in middle school nearby when Cruz attacked the high school. “Consider the facts,” D’Onofrio said, “18-to-20-year-olds are three times more likely to commit gun homicides.”