The Legislature began its 2025 Session on March 4th with the expectation of building the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget and reviewing approximately 1,831 bills that have been filed.
Due to the recent passing of Senator Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando), there were several new Senate committee assignments.
House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) created budget workgroups to address some of the $950 million projects vetoed by the Governor in the current year’s budget. The combined workgroups addressed libraries, cultural and historical preservation items; water projects; human services initiatives; and justice-related projects like legal aid. The workgroups had 10 days last month to review the lists and make recommendations. It is not clear whether the entire House will move those recommendations forward and/or if the Senate will initiate a similar exercise. Speaker Perez also created combined workgroups on hemp and Collegiate Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) to look at policy issues.