Legislative Issues

Of the 3,517 bills filed this Session (including 1,634 proposed House appropriations projects, which are considered bills), only 207 passed both the Senate and House. That is 10 more bills than last year’s total. Here is a recap of some interesting bills that passed and failed this Session.

Bills that Failed

GUN VIOLENCE The House did not vote on legislation creating the Urban Core Gun Violence Task Force and the Florida Firearm Violence Reduction Pilot Program within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The taskforce was to be created to investigate the causes of high crime rates and firearm violence incidents in urban core neighborhoods. The pilot program would have supported effective initiatives in counties that are disproportionately impacted by firearm violence.

LEGAL NOTICES The House passed a measure that would have allowed website publication of legal notices, in addition to the traditional printed notices. The Senate never heard the bill.

SPORTS STADIUM PROGRAM The House has refused for the past several years to fund a program that allocates state dollar for new sports stadium construction. This year, it sought to repeal the 2014 law which created the program. A companion bill was never filed in the Senate.