TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV\/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Florida lawmakers passed 237 bills during the 60-day legislative session, the fewest passed during Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019s final term, with the state\u2019s multi-billion-dollar operating budget among the items left unfinished.<\/p>\n
Among the priorities that did not advance: property tax reforms, rural renaissance legislation, fixes to Florida\u2019s school voucher system, insurance reform, major health care reforms, and artificial intelligence regulations.<\/p>\n
House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell said the session fell short for residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen no transformative policies that help Floridians keep more money in their pockets,\u201d Driskell said.<\/p>\n
Florida politics:<\/p>\n
Rep. Adam Anderson of Palm Harbor offered a different view.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes what we don\u2019t measure is a taller measure of success than what we do pass,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n
Senate President Ben Albritton said the unfinished budget is not a cause for concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we met for a 60-day session, that\u2019s not the end of the world. There\u2019s still plenty of time,\u201d Albritton said.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee next month to pass a budget in a special session.<\/p>\n
Friction between the House and Senate was a defining feature of the session. Members from both parties acknowledged the dynamic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say this is a session of the Florida House. I would say this is a session of tension between our Chamber and the governor. But that\u2019s what the three branches of government are about,\u201d said Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando.<\/p>\n
Rep. Danny Alvarez of Hillsborough County said the back-and-forth reflects the intent of the system.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like a back and forth. That\u2019s how our founders created it. We fight for our people. They fight for theirs and somewhere we meet in the middle,\u201d Alvarez said.<\/p>\n
Political analyst Susan MacManus said the internal divisions were not unexpected.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrankly, when one party controls everything, the splits then and the grabs for power and influence become internal to that party,\u201d MacManus said.<\/p>\n
MacManus said the dynamic in Florida mirrors broader national trends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing in America is a frustration with legislative bodies. The country itself is polarized. Our legislative bodies are polarized,\u201d MacManus said.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee in April to pass a budget. The legislature has until July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.<\/p>\n
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