Florida’s Special Legislative Session Just Finished. Here Are The Bills That Passed.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — The Florida Legislature wrapped up day three of the special session on Wednesday by passing several high priority bills.
The Senate started the day by reviewing Sen. Corey Simon’s (R-Tallahassee) proposal, SB 2-C. The bill is a large aid package to North Florida’s farmers, growers and producers who endured the devastation of Hurricane Idalia.
The storm made landfall in Taylor County back on August 30, and was the first time in approximately 70 years that a storm of that size descended on the Big Bend.
In the bill – also championed in the House as HB 1C by Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Blountstown) – there were multiple layers of aid, including: $37.5 million timber grant assistance, $5 million for rural infrastructure funds and $50 million to the Florida Department of Emergency Management recovery program, among other provisions.
During debate, Simon was asked if Georgia-Pacific would be eligible to apply for funds available in the provision.
Simon said no, telling his fellow senators that “the bill is tight with the language.”
Simon blasted Georgia-Pacific earlier this week in the bill’s first committee stop for leaving as an employer in Perry, Florida – the county seat of Taylor County.
The bill passed unanimously 39-0 and Simon said that “the Big Bend is smiling today.”
EXPANDING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
The Florida Legislature passed universal school choice in March during the 2023 session. Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship now allows all parents to apply for the state-funded scholarship to use toward private school tuition or homeschool costs.
Lawmakers say parents of “students with unique abilities” told them they were having difficulty placing their children in preferred schools. Sen. Jay Collins’ (R-Tampa) SB 4-C “addressed demand for the unique abilities portion of the Family Empowerment Scholarship,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo(R-Naples) said in a statement.
The legislation would now allow families of students with unique abilities to apply for the scholarships for the current school year with a deadline of December 15, 2023.
House Democrats expressed their opposition to school vouchers on Tuesday, but they voted in favor of the bill as it is a scholarship eligibility expansion. Similarly, the bill passed unanimously 39-0.
MONEY FOR JEWISH SCHOOLS
Sen. Alexis Catalyud (R-Miami) sponsored SB 6C that was championed in the House by Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay). The proposal would send millions of dollars to Jewish day schools and other schools, museums or synagogues that can demonstrate they are facing increased threats of violence.
The bill will also allocate public funding for security measures like security officers, barriers and fences for Jewish schools. This particular funding will be a part of the nonprofit security grant program within the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
Sen. Jason Pizzo (D-Hollywood) vocalized his support for the bill, telling the chamber that taking up measures that protect lives is “low hanging fruit that takes just a little bit of our time.” Pizzo added that he’s “almost moved to violence” when he hears of threats made against Jews in his district.
The bill passed unanimously 39-0.
SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
The Senate also passed SR 8C by Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) reiterating Florida’s formal support for the State of Israel and condemning Hamas’ attacks.
“We must stand up for the truth,” said Sen. Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) on the floor of the Senate. “We must decry all bigotry, including anti-semitism. There are Jews being terrorized here in the U.S. for simply being Jewish. We cannot accept this behavior from the right wing neo-Nazis, nor from the Left-wing [demonstrators] on college campuses. I will call out members of my own political party who are lying about the current war and are lying about antisemitism.”
Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) rose to agree with sentiments from his colleagues but also had a message for “white, Christian brothers and sisters.” Boyd warned that religious persecution is “coming for us too.”
“It may not be here today but if we don’t stand together and fight this insidious problem we will face the same persecution and the same targeting and the same dismay and despair,” Boyd posited.
The resolution passed unanimously 39-0.
EXPANDED SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN-AFFILIATED COMPANIES
The final piece of legislation the Senate approved was SB 10C, sponsored by Sen. Bryan Avila (R-Miami Springs). The bill expands Florida’s scrutinized companies list to now include businesses with ties to the Iranian government. Many of these companies are in industries like manufacturing and energy, lawmakers said.
“While our laws already have strong sanctions against regimes that support terrorism, this great legislation championed by Governor DeSantis, strengthens existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran and other state and corporate sponsors of terror,” said Passidomo. “We can, and we must, do everything within our authority as a state government to support Israel and condemn terror, hatred, and violence.”
The bill passed unanimously 39-0.
All the bills passed by the Senate Wednesday have already passed the House. They now head to the governor’s desk.