The legislative session in Tallahassee, Florida, extended 45 days beyond its planned 60-day period, marking one of the lengthiest sessions ever recorded.
Over recent months, the political tensions between the governor and Republican leaders have been a significant focus. Now that a budget has finally been approved, attention shifts to Gov. Ron DeSantis as he makes decisions on what will remain in the final version.
DeSantis now heads back to Tallahassee to review the state鈥檚 budget, and vetoes are expected.
鈥淲e have less than two weeks with a lot of stuff on our desk,鈥 DeSantis said.
The governor is blaming House leadership for dragging the 2025 session far past its deadline.
鈥淚t鈥檚 regrettable, but the fact is, the House leadership prolonged this needlessly for 45 days,鈥 DeSantis remarked. 鈥淭he approved budget doesn鈥檛 represent any substantial change. There were no significant policy victories achieved. It was something that could have been resolved 45 days earlier.鈥
Whether it was immigration, property insurance, tax cuts, or the controversial Hope Florida scandal, the 2025 legislative session was filled with capitol clashes between the Governor and House and Senate leaders.
鈥淲e were able to have highs and lows,鈥 House Speaker Danny Perez ssaid. 鈥淲e were able to have civil discourse. We were able to have a difference of opinion. We were able to reach a conclusion that maybe either the Senate or the governor didn鈥檛 agree with. That was our goal. Our goal was to be a Co-equal branch of government, to have an opinion, an opinion that matters, an opinion that鈥檚 valued.鈥
Perez called the session鈥檚 highs and lows a benefit, and while Democrats agree that a balance of power between branches was healthy, they hope next session will be different.
鈥淭he House is willing to fight against the governor, governor is willing to fight against the House, Senate and the House are willing to go their separate ways when they have to. We all understand each other now. So, let鈥檚 get together. Let鈥檚 be grown-ups and let鈥檚 pass some transformative policy for Floridians,鈥 said State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa.
Political analyst Tara Newsom weighs in on the conversation, saying there was no real 鈥渨inner鈥 this session.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 asking that question,鈥 Newsom said. 鈥淲ho鈥檚 the winner of this session? Who came out on top? The truth is, there was no real winner in this legislative session because the Florida voters didn鈥檛 get heard.鈥
There may be pro-business tax cuts and reserves saved up for possible federal funding gaps in this year鈥檚 budget, but it didn鈥檛 include a key issue for Florida voters: property insurance reform.
鈥淯ntil the Florida legislature listens to Florida voters, meets the moment, tackles property tax, tackles home insurance, protects our environment, which is part of our industry. I think Florida voters are going to think this was a lose-lose,鈥 Newsom said. 鈥淓ven though it went to 105 days, they didn鈥檛 get very much out of that extended legislative term.鈥
The question that remains is whether these key tension points will carry into next session and which issues will survive the swipe of the Governor鈥檚 veto pen?