Florida Republicans appear set for a showdown on tax policy and other key items as the session hits full swing, and a bill to further enhance penalties against those who kill police officers is laid aside.
Sales tax showdown comes as DeSantis urges focus on property tax relief
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is entering the last two years of his term, and he’ll be term limited out of the job for 2026.
After six years of the governor guiding the policies that passed the state legislature, lawmakers in the state capitol are beginning to exert their own authority.
Just this week, the Florida House voted to override four of the governor’s line-item vetoes from last year’s budget.
Then, House Speaker Danny Perez put forward a plan to cut the state’s sales tax by nearly a full percent, a plan that could potentially stand in the way of the governor’s stated goal of eliminating property taxes.
Perez has also reportedly expressed concerns about another of the governor’s plans, rolling back child work rules, to help replace lost workers from a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
A House subcommittee went over budget recommendations Thursday, which included withholding the salary of one of DeSantis’ agency heads, the secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services who has declined to provide testimony on spending.
“We have a crisis in leadership at DMS that has resulted in a crisis in management,” State Rep. Vicki Lopez said.
Lawmakers are also giving additional pushback on a bill that would codify Casey DeSantis’ “Hope Florida Initiative” by creating a formal position in the governor’s office.
The plan has yet to be taken up in the House or Senate, though it is scheduled for its first committee hearing on Monday.
The legislative independence was also on display in January and February, when lawmakers quickly gaveled in and out of a special session on immigration called for by the governor. They then gaveled back into their own session, which resulted in legislation the governor criticized as too weak.
Ultimately, though, a third special session was held, which resulted in compromise bills being signed into law.
Bill designed to further protect police set aside after debate
The Florida Senate debated a bill meant to implement harsher penalties against people convicted of killing police officers.
Senate Bill 234 was introduced by State Sen. Tom Leek, who represents Flagler and Volusia counties. The bill is named after the late police officer Jason Raynor, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2021.
The bill would require anyone convicted of manslaughter involving an officer to receive life in prison without parole.
Raynor’s killer was convicted of manslaughter, but received the current maximum 30-year prison sentence.
Thursday’s debate turned heated, though, when Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones accused Republican colleague Jonathan Martín of denying the existence of racial profiling.
“There are individuals in communities who absolutely get pulled over because the officer is racial profiling," Jones said. "That’s not a myth, nor is it a theory. Now, while it may not be in your community, I’m talking about you got five Black members who sitting in this room. So don’t say racial profiling is not real. Because it is, sir."
Martin, it should be noted, insisted he never said that racial profiling is not real.
Eventually, though, the bill’s sponsor said that while he feels strongly about the policy, it may not be ready to move forward just yet.
“But my love for you all tells me today that the best thing for us to do is to keep talking," Leek said. "To continue the discussion. To try to do the best that we can to make everybody comfortable that the policy that we pass is good policy. And with that, Mr. President, I would ask that we temporarily postpone this bill."
His motion was approved.
