Gov. DeSantis calls for mid-April special session on redistricting, possibly other issues

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Lawmakers will be back in Tallahassee in mid-April for a special session on redistricting.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he had vetoed the congressional maps approved by the legislature, and he would be calling lawmakers back during a press conference Tuesday.

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The governor indicated he wants lawmakers to redraw the maps in a similar fashion to the map he proposed back in January that dismantles CD 5 and would like leave Duval County with two Republican-leaning districts.

The minority access district is held by Democrat Al Lawson, and runs from Tallahassee to Jacksonville’s urban core.

DeSantis argued the district is an illegal gerrymander.

He also said he believes the primary map put forth by the legislature would have been found unconstitutional.

The legal arguments are more thoroughly explained in this memorandum written by the governor’s General Council, Ryan Newman.

DeSantis said he expects legal challenges to clear up what he describes as ”internal inconsistencies” between the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Fair Districts Amendment of the Florida Constitution.

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“There will be plaintiffs that will say that that big district in North Florida, District 5, that that’s diminishment and that must be put in and they’re going to ask courts, most likely state courts up to the Florida Supreme Court, to put that district back in, and they will cite that provision of the Florida Constitution. We will obviously say it’s unconstitutional to draw a district like that where race is the only factor,” said DeSantis.

The governor also hinted lawmakers may take up issues including property insurance reform, constitutional carry and data privacy in the April special session.

Those topics weren’t included in the proclamation issued Tuesday, but his office told us the governor can expand the call to include those issues if he believes lawmakers are positioned to deliver.

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