Florida 2022 Legislative Session Preview

The 2022 Florida legislative session officially kicked off Jan. 11. However, committees have been hearing bills and drafting preliminary budgets for months. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his recommended budget in December.

The following are top issues expected to move this session:

• Redistricting (SB 100/SB 102)
• Consumer data privacy protection (SB 1864/HB 9)
• Telehealth (SB 312/HB 17)
• COVID-19 liability protection extensions (SB 7014/PCB HHS 22-01)
• Surfside collapse/condo inspections/code enforcement reform (SB 1702/SB 1774/SB 1780/SB 1942/HB 1391/HB 1393/HB 1397)
• Elimination of state assessments in K-12 (SB 1048)
• Role of critical race theory in K-12 and the workplace
• Creation of a Florida state guard
• Automobile insurance reform
• Preemption of local bans on pet retail sales
• Flood resiliency
• Gas tax reductions

Additionally, now that federal courts have thrown out the recently signed compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe, expect some discussion of gaming expansion and possibly even the creation of a new compact.

Florida’s legislative session is scheduled to end March 11.