Florida Organization Session

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Florida Organization Session | November 20, 2024

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Pursuant to the Florida Constitution, the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives convened for an Organization Session on November 19, 2024, for the exclusive purpose of organization and selection of officers. As a matter of tradition, both chambers also swore in newly elected members to their respective chambers. Finally, the chambers considered a concurrent resolution establishing the joint rules governing both chambers of the Legislature, with members of the Senate and House adopting new rules. Below is a high-level summary of the Organizational Session.

Albritton Elected Senate President

Senator Ben Albritton, a citrus farmer from Wauchula, was unanimously elected President of the Florida Senate. In his remarks to the Senate Chamber, President Albritton declared a “Rural Renaissance” in Florida, pledging the support of the state to farmers and the state’s food supply chain. President Albritton also highlighted the impact of three major hurricanes hitting the state this year on the state’s property insurance market. Last week, President Albritton announced the senators who will serve as his Appropriations Committee Chairs for the 2024-2026 term.

Perez Elected Speaker of the House

The Florida House unanimously selected Representative Daniel Perez, a lawyer from Miami, to serve as the next Speaker of the Florida House. The members of the Florida House also formally elected Speaker Perez’s Leadership Team for the 2024-2026 term. During his remarks to the House Chamber, Speaker Perez did not focus on any one particular policy priority, but rather said that he would work to solve the real problems of everyday Floridians. Additionally, Speaker Perez identified overspending by state government as an issue he will tackle during the budget process.

Interim Committee Weeks Begin Next Month

With both chambers now formally organized, the Legislature will return to Tallahassee for the first week of interim committee meetings next month. The House will meet the week of December 2, followed by the Senate the week of December 9. After a holiday break, both chambers will resume committee weeks in mid-January 2025.

The 2025 Legislative Session begins on March 4, 2025. For more information, please contact our team.

The information provided in this email does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information in this email is for informational purposes only. Information in this email is general in nature and may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. Readers of this email should contact us or an attorney of their choice to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader of this email should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this email without first seeking legal advice from counsel. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. This email does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the authors of the email or this law firm.

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