One week from today, the legislative session in Tallahassee is scheduled to end, and an AI Bill of Rights bill appears dead despite a push from the governor.
Last week of the legislative session: What has and hasn’t happened
One week from today, the legislative session in Tallahassee is scheduled to end.
The chances of the budget passing by then are slim to none, so get ready for a repeat of last session when lawmakers went deep into overtime to get the budget across the finish line.
Here’s where things stand right now.
So far, the legislature has passed 40 bills, including:
a wide-ranging farm bill dealing with ag equipment, public safety and natural resources.
a bill to rename the Palm Beach airport after President Donald Trump.
a bill on conservation lands that enhances transparency for state land transactions.
and a bipartisan animal welfare bill that strengthens penalties for animal cruelty.
Missing from that list: basically all of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s priorities.
He is set to have a disappointing final session of his term.
The governor’s main objective is passing property tax reform.
The House has passed a bill to eliminate non-school property taxes, but the Senate has taken no action.
The governor has indicated that he will call a special session to pass something on property taxes that would then be put before voters on the November ballot.
That special session would be in addition to a special session the governor has already called for in April on redistricting
AI Bill of Rights appears dead despite Gov. DeSantis push
Another priority for the governor that is effectively dead: the AI Bill of Rights.
DeSantis wanted it, and the Senate was on board.
The House, though, was not.
During a discussion Friday at the Capitol, the governor maintained that Florida should have some sort of statewide guardrails.
He tried to drum up support for the bill, but continues to face stiff opposition not just from the Florida House but from Washington.
“Right now, the choice is, are we going to create a framework that’s going to protect Floridians, particularly our kids, or is it just going to basically be big tech polices itself?” DeSantis said.
The bill proposes flagship protections.
Among them: parental safeguards, AI advisories for chat bots and new rules on using someone’s name, image or likeness.
“The tools and resources that have been shared today are going to help us make sure that we move, because if we’re not moving and we’re standing still, we’re behind,” said Taylor Hatch, Department of Children and Families secretary.
DeSantis and the Florida Senate maintain that the state cannot wait for the federal government.
“Congress has the right to pass, to pass a regulatory framework. Absolutely, they do.” he said. “They won’t do it.”
Republican Rep. Danny Perez, the House Speaker, said: “We do believe that the federal government should take care of AI and whatever legislation or policy has to pass on a national level, as opposed to doing it on a state-by-state basis. I’ve been pretty consistent in stating that.”
The House remains strongly opposed, and some Florida Democrats agree.
“If each state starts regulating AI individually, we’re going to wind up with a patchwork nationally, and that it could stifle the potential growth in impact, transformative impacts of this technology,” said House Minority Leader and Democrat Fentrice Driskell.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, largely supports the development of AI.
They’ve warned against state regulation, saying it could slow growth, and even national security.
The Florida senate indeed passed it almost unanimously.
Nonetheless, it takes two to tango and without the Florida House, the bill can’t reach the governor’s desk before the end of session on Friday the 13th.