JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As lawmakers wrapped up work on non-budget bills in the State Capitol Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis was 180 miles away in Jacksonville, sharing his two cents on the 2026 legislative session.
He started by touting his successes, including new citizenship verification for voting, banning DEI in local governments, new pet protections and new ratepayer protections from data centers.
There were also new restrictions on teachers’ unions passed, a prohibition on carbon taxes and local governments adopting net-zero polices and a new mechanism for designating domestic terrorist organizations.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
“The momentum continues and we’re going to make sure that it does,” DeSantis said.
But what wasn’t passed was just as front and center.
Lawmakers declined to expand exemptions for school vaccine requirements, pass an AI bill of rights, and perhaps most glaringly, they failed to pass a state budget on time for the second year in a row.
The Governor laid the bulk of the budget boondoggle on the House, noting the chamber is pushing for reduced Everglades restoration funding and wants to cut funding for the State Guard and Schools of Hope.
“I’m obviously gonna work very, very hard to make sure that the priorities that the people elected me to pursue are the priorities that we continue to do and most of these members ran on those very same priorities,” DeSantis said.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Over in Tallahassee, legislative leaders announced they plan to return to address the budget in April.
“We will continue working with our Senate counterparts to ensure we return in the proper posture to complete our constitutional responsibility of passing a state budget,” House Speaker Daniel Perez (R-Miami) said.
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders accused Republicans of focusing too much on fringe issues and failing to tackle affordability.
“This was too much talk and too little action. That’s a missed opportunity for the people of Florida. Affordability was the number one issue coming out of the 2024 election,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) said.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Along with the budget, lawmakers will also return for a special session on redistricting and property tax.
The Governor doubled down on his promise to voters that they will get to weigh in on some property tax proposal this November.
“So, don’t think because they Sine Die that somehow we’re not doing it. We’ve only just begun on this,” DeSantis said.
Action News Jax asked the Governor whether he’s considering adding vaccine exemptions and the AI Bill of Rights to one of the three upcoming special sessions.
He said it’s possible, but noted there may be other ways of accomplishing those goals without having to go through the legislature.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
