House, Senate leaders launch into session focused on insurance, agriculture

Kicking off a new era when legislative leaders are expected to exercise more independence from Gov. Ron DeSantis than in recent years, Florida's two Republican legislative leaders on Tuesday outlined priorities for the annual 60-day session.

Although they're pursuing different agendas, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez both touched on the availability and affordability of homeowners' insurance.

Conversely, DeSantis said in his State of the State speech that the homeowner's insurance market in Florida is stable, touting changes made by the Legislature in 2022 and 2023 and stressing the need to fund a state program for homeowners who harden their homes against hurricanes. House Democratic leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell said the governor's remarks seemed out of touch.

"Many of his comments today about property insurance rates coming down and things are so great, that absolutely is not the feedback we get from our neighbors on the ground. They're concerned because their rates are going up. People need real relief and, frankly, the governor hasn't done enough about this," Driskell said.

Perez, meanwhile, said the House would subpoena insurance company executives in light of a Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times story about a state-commissioned report showing that Florida insurers pleaded poverty while transferring billions of dollars to out-of-state affiliates.

"A couple of years ago, the insurance industry came to the Legislature and said [that] without sweeping reforms companies could not compete in Florida. We have since learned of the reports in existence at the time but not disclosed to the Legislature that may suggest some insurance companies were using accounting tricks to hide substantial profits while telling us they were in a crisis. Shock," Perez said sarcastically.

He said he will empower the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee to place witnesses under oath, issue subpoenas, and hire outside legal counsel.

His remarks were met with a spate of applause.

Albritton also used his speech to address homeowner's insurance saying, "We'll hold insurance companies accountable for the rates they charge and the services they provide when disaster strikes. They aren't going to manipulate the system. And neither is any other industry. Not on my watch."

'Guardians of the taxpayers'

The Florida Legislature meets annually to conduct the state's business, although lately the work has spilled over into special sessions, including one held only recently to assist in the Trump administration's efforts at mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

While lawmakers will consider hundreds of proposals while in the capital city, they are only required to pass one piece of legislation: the General Appropriations Act, or state budget.

Perez insisted he has no plan to impose his personal political priorities on the House, but he did stress the need to address homeowners' insurance, fiscal responsibility, and curbing government spending.

"We are the guardians of the taxpayers. We have rightly pushed back on local governments for allowing the growth in property taxes … while congratulating ourselves for giving easy-to-fund nonrecurring tax holidays," he said.

Albritton made clear his personal interest was agriculture, including protection of Florida's citrus industry, which has been in decline because of blight and competition with land developers.

"I was born and bred in Florida citrus, and this vital industry is not going down on my watch," Albritton said. "To those growers who are left in the business, hear me when I say, you are not forgotten, you are not alone, and I'm running to this fight."

Information technology

Among his other priorities were efficiency, echoing calls from the Trump administration and its DOGE initiative.

"It's not enough to know government is completing a task or providing a service, we need to know if that service is being provided well, which means we need to have new, innovative ways to measure performance," Albritton said, mentioning a focus on information technology.

"Despite everyone's best efforts, we can't seem to get it quite right," Albritton said. "There is no doubt in my mind, it's time for IT to be a Cabinet-level agency."

The House has a subcommittee focused on technology policy and budgeting. In the weeks leading to the 2025 session, the panel heard IT presentations from the state agencies that are requesting funding in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget to continue their efforts.

Albritton also highlighted the initiative he's dubbed the "Rural Renaissance," which would create an office dedicated to rural communities and provide grants to counties with declining population. The package would fund infrastructure projects, focus on housing accessibility, and incentivize teachers, doctors, and nurses to practice in rural areas. The price tag is $197.4 million.

Collegiality

Perez encouraged members to work with each other on legislation and not to be myopic and focused only on their own bills.

"Lean in and offer help, because that's how I'm going to be spending my time over the next 60 days," he said. "How do we make good bills great? How do we get great bills across the finish line and turned into laws together? We can produce policies that will matter to the real lives of the people of Florida. We are the House of Representatives. We are the tellers of the truth."

Leaders from both chambers took time to acknowledge Sen. Geraldine Thompson's sudden death following complications from knee surgery, with Albritton breaking into tears. The Senate, he said, would honor Sen. Thompson next week.

Albritton began his remarks by paying respects to his "dear friend" and called Thompson's passing a "profound loss for the Senate."

"I'm sure when Geri went home, she heard the words, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant,'" Albritton said.