TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Lawmakers are back to business Tuesday after the holiday weekend, and they’re entering the second week of the legislative session with a lot on their plate.
Because lawmakers generally file more than 1,000 bills each year, the 60-day session covers a lot of ground. This year, several bills are focusing on changes to immigration policies, access to firearms, and affordability, among other issues.
What You Need To Know
Florida’s legislative session kicked off on Jan. 13, and in the first week, several bills concerning changes to immigration policies and access to firearms have already passed
Affordability in the state remains a main focal point for lawmakers, though how to achieve it has left many of them split
Some lawmakers back Gov. Ron DeSantis and his push to eliminate non-school property taxes, even though local government leaders claim the move would hurt their budgets
More than 1,000 bills are filed every year for the legislative session, with just 60 days for lawmakers to work through them
As for immigration, House Bill 197 would expand E-Verify, which is a system already used in the state to verify the legal status of working immigrants employed with public companies or private employers with more than 25 employees. With the proposed expansion, all private employers would be required to use the system, no matter how many employees they have.
Senate Bill 1052 also focuses on immigration, but at the college level. The proposal would restrict college admissions to U.S. citizens and immigrants who are “lawfully present” in the country. Some argue the change is necessary to address the number of illegal immigrants in the country.
“Our country has been invaded by illegal immigrants — we want those people out,” Florida Republican Party Chairman Evan Power said.
In response, State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) said these types of bills have nothing to do with the campaign promises made by President Donald Trump.
Trump campaigned on regulating immigration “and going after criminals,” she said. “These bills don’t do any of that.”
Another major focal point of this session has been access to firearms. A bill was passed in the House last week proposing to lower the minimum age to purchase long guns from 21 to 18. This proposal is no stranger to Florida legislators, as it has been previously filed and passed by the House several times. However, the legislation has not been able to move beyond that.
Affordability topped off the first week of the legislative session, though it’s something residents can expect to continue hearing about, as Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes lawmakers to make efforts to eliminate non-school property taxes in the state.
Many local government leaders have shared their concerns about DeSantis’ plan because removing property taxes would largely impact the budgets of local municipalities and affect their ability to fund local services.