{"id":77177,"date":"2025-12-09T16:51:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/77177\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T16:51:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:51:07","slug":"with-focus-on-affordability-in-2026-florida-house-democrats-eye-changes-to-property-insurance-housing-and-government-spending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/77177\/","title":{"rendered":"With focus on affordability in 2026, Florida House Democrats eye changes to property insurance, housing and government spending"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AHouse Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell stands among the bicameral Democratic caucus, setting forward its agenda for the 2026 legislative session on Dec. 8, 2025. Credit: Jay Waagmeester \/ Florida Phoenix<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Democrats have housing affordability and government efficiency on their minds a month out from the start of the 2026 legislative session.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we have seen is that we have a lame duck governor and I think that the Legislature has taken back some of its co-equal power as a branch of government,\u201d Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, of Boca Raton, said during a news conference in the Capitol Monday. \u201cAnd I\u2019m hopeful that as this session goes on, we in the House and the Senate in both parties are able to work together and do things that really do affect affordability and that affect peoples\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berman called affordability her caucus\u2019 top priority this session. With a Republican super-majority, Democrats can\u2019t pass legislation on their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrices are rising, period. And we are seeing Republican politicians pander to D.C. and squabble amongst themselves instead of fixing the problem, so Democrats are offering ideas,\u201d House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, of Tampa, said.<\/p>\n

The leaders laid out three bills as their priorities this session.<\/p>\n

HB 319<\/a>\/SB 366<\/a>\u00a0would create a property insurance compact between at least 14 states, forming a risk pool for coverage. Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a Democrat from Boca Raton and the House bill\u2019s sponsor, compared it to the National Flood Insurance Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFamilies are struggling, some can\u2019t afford the cost of home ownership anymore. If we don\u2019t tackle the risk that is driving this crisis, we will threaten that home ownership, economic growth, and the stability of our entire insurance system,\u201d Skidmore said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The other housing-focused bill is\u00a0HB 675<\/a>\/SB 756.<\/a>\u00a0the Housing Options Made For Everyone (HOME) Act would eliminate documentary stamp taxes for certain first-time homebuyers and build off the Live Local Act from 2023, a more-than-$700 million\u00a0bipartisan measure<\/a>\u00a0building more workforce housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBy easing just one of the up-front costs, we\u2019re giving people a fair shot at buying their first home and starting the next chapter of their lives,\u201d Sen. Tracie Davis, a Democrat from Jacksonville and the Senate version\u2019s sponsor, said.<\/p>\n

SB 780<\/a>\u00a0is the caucus\u2019 third focus, which it says will \u201crefocus Florida\u2019s government\u201d by identifying \u201cwasteful spending.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill specifically asks for investigations into high-profile items including the\u00a0Everglades immigrant detention facility<\/a>\u00a0also known as \u201cAlligator Alcatraz\u201d;\u00a0per student spending<\/a>\u00a0at New College of Florida;\u00a0state spending<\/a>\u00a0on campaigns against proposed constitutional amendments legalizing recreational marijuana and expanding abortion access; and\u00a0Hope Florida<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The bill calls for the Auditor General, Government Efficiency Task Force, and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to \u201cprepare a report identifying fraud, waste, abuse of authority, malfeasance, mismanagement, and misconduct in state government.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill calls for the attorney general to pursue legal remedies if the report finds wrongdoing. Attorney General James Uthmeier was appointed by DeSantis to that position and previously worked in the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Notably, Democrats do not include eliminating property taxes in their agenda. Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, are focusing heavily on crafting ballot language to eliminate or limit property taxes for homesteaded properties.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we feel is that people aren\u2019t complaining about the property taxes, they\u2019re complaining about the property insurance and about being able to afford things here in this state,\u201d Berman said. \u201cProperty taxes are going to have a direct impact on the services people receive and we don\u2019t want people to have less services here in this state.\u201d<\/p>\n

The session begins Jan. 13.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the president calling it a hoax, we all see with our own eyes that the affordability crisis is real, it\u2019s hurting Floridians, and yes, it is getting worse,\u201d Berman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Florida Phoenix<\/a> is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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This article appears in Dec. 04 \u2013 10, 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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