Legislative Updates

• Dec. 2 - 6, 2024 (Florida House of Representatives only)

• Dec. 9 – 13, 2024 (Florida Senate only)

• Jan. 13 – 17, 2025

• Jan. 21 – 24, 2025 (Meetings begin on Tuesday due to Monday holiday)

• Feb. 3 – 7, 2025

• Feb. 10 – 14, 2025

• Feb. 17 – 21, 2025

Florida’s 2025 legislative session begins on March 4th with 26 new lawmakers in the 120-member state House and nine new Florida senators out of 40. House Representatives are elected for two-year terms while senators are elected for four years. Each are limited to four total terms.

Republicans maintained supermajorities in both chambers after the Nov. 5 elections.

House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, added an extra seat to his GOP caucus, heading into the session with an 85-35 lead over Democrats.

Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, held onto Republicans’ 28-12 advantage in the upper chamber.

But expect some changes as we head into 2025.

FL Congressman Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress but withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general amid increased scrutiny of a House ethics report, expected to be released soon after a secret vote.

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis received Trump’s endorsement for Congressional District 1 and is stepping down from his position. Congressional District 1 includes all or parts of Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

State Rep. Joel Rudman, a Navarre Republican reelected last month, announced he will resign from the House to run for the Panhandle congressional seat. Rudman’s exit will create an opening for GOP-leaning House District 3 in Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties.

Meanwhile, Gaetz’s father, Don, was reelected to the Florida Senate in November after an eight-year hiatus. Newly seated Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, also served as Senate president in 2013 and 2014.

Trump’s selected U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz to serve as national security advisor , which sparked a separate set of musical chairs in the House and Senate. State Sen. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican who is a fierce Trump ally, spent eight years in the state House before his November election to the upper chamber.

Fine, however, will step aside from the Senate midway through the 60-day legislative session as he seeks to replace Waltz in Congressional District 6. The Republican- dominated district is made up of all or parts of Flagler, Lake, Marion, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties.

Additionally, State Rep. Debbie Mayfield announced that she intends to run for her old Senate seat, which includes most of Brevard County.

Special elections for the House and Senate races have not been scheduled yet, but the contests won’t change the partisan ratio in either chamber.

House members gathered at the Capitol earlier this month for “legislator university” training, with courses including “Words Matter: Civility, Decorum and Professional Responsibility” and “On the Right Side of the Line: State Ethics and House Rules.”

Likewise, senators met in Tallahassee a week later for their ethics training, security briefings, and other informational sessions.

Some legislation has been pre-filed.

Four legislators moved from the state House to the state Senate this year:

Sens. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee

Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach

Stan McClain, R-Ocala

Keith Truenow, R-Tavares

Sens. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando

Mack Bernard, D-West Palm Beach

Barbara Sharief, D-Miramar, former Broward County mayor, is the only new senator to the 2025 Florida Legislature.

Here is a list of new Florida House members for 2025:

• Rep. Jon Albert, R-Frostproof

• Rep. Jose Alvarez, D-Kissimmee

• Rep. Wallace Aristide, D-Miami

• Rep. Yvette Benarroch, R-Marco Island

• Rep. Omar Blanco, R-Miami

• Rep. Erika Booth, R-St. Cloud

• Rep. Nan Cobb, R-Eustis

• Rep. William Conerly, R-Lakewood Ranch

• Rep. Richard Gentry, R-Astor

• Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington

• Rep. Sam Greco, R-St. Augustine

• Rep. JJ Grow, R-Inverness

• Rep. Chad Johnson, R-Chiefland

• Rep. Kim Kendall, R-St. Augustine

• Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonnson, R-Lakeland

• Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne

• Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay

• Rep. Danny Nix, R-Placida

• Rep. Vanessa Oliver, R-Punta Gorda

• Rep. Michael Owen, R-Apollo Beach

• Rep. Bill Partington, R-Ormond Beach

• Rep. Mitch Rosenwald, D-Oakland Park

• Rep. Judson Sapp, R-Green Cove Springs

• Rep. Leonard Spencer, D-Gotha

• Rep. Debra Tendrich, D-Lake Worth

• Rep. Meg Weinberger, R-Palm Beach Gardens