As of October 17th, the Florida Legislature concluded its second week of committee meetings in preparation for the 2026 legislative session, which begins January 13, 2026.

During these meetings, Representative Sam Garrison (R-Fleming Island) was elected Speaker-Designate of the House, and Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) was named President-Designate of the Senate for the 2026–2028 term. Garrison, a Jacksonville-area attorney and former prosecutor, will succeed Speaker Danny Perez in November 2026, while Boyd, a third-generation legislator praised for his consensus-building leadership, will succeed Senate President Ben Albritton.

Committees met to discuss health care budgets, professional regulations, and insurance, with presentations from key state agencies including AHCA, APD, DCF, and the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use. Notably, the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee advanced HB 6003 (by Rep. Trabulsy, R-Fort Pierce), which would expand damages under Florida’s Wrongful Death Act in medical negligence cases—legislation vetoed last year by Governor DeSantis over the absence of damage caps and attorney fee limits. Despite the Governor’s prior objections, the bill passed the subcommittee 16–2, signaling the House’s willingness to challenge the executive branch on this issue.

For the full week 2 legislative update, please click the red button below.