Florida Senate

The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund can’t be used to purchase any more boats, aircraft, or motor vehicles, but they can be leased for a “short-time,” SB 7040 says. The Republican-dominated Legislature approved these new guardrails after the state’s emergency managers spent more than $573 million on immigration enforcement in three years.

House Speaker Daniel Perez was coy when asked whether the House would sign off on the offer.

House and Senate differ on key aspects of Medicaid legislation. Former Senate President Don Gaetz’s bill, SB 1758, goes beyond the federal law by including work and training requirements for certain Medicaid enrollees. The House hasn’t included the work requirements in its companion legislation, HB 693.

A bill that would expand vaccine exemptions for public K-12 schools is headed to the Senate floor. The bill (SB 1756) would create a new “conscience” category for parents to opt their children out of immunizations typically required for students to attend public K-12 schools.

The 2026 Senate confirmation journey has begun for acting Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor Hatch.

The Florida Senate dropped “veggie disparagement" language from a sweeping agriculture bill after concerns it could suppress criticism of the industry.

A key figure in President Donald Trump's first impeachment is running for the U.S. Senate in Florida as a Democrat. Army veteran Alex Vindman served on the National Security Council in 2019 when the Republican president pressured Ukraine to investigate Democrat Joe Biden. Vindman and his twin brother, Eugene, reported their concerns, sparking investigations.

On "The Florida Roundup," Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, explained why he supports a special session for redistricting, digging into property tax reform and more.

Jim Boyd, a veteran lawmaker who heads an insurance and investment firm in Bradenton, was formally selected Tuesday by Senate Republicans to become the next Senate president.

The Hillsborough County seat has been empty since DeSantis chose Jay Collins to be his lieutenant governor.

In an interview with WLRN, state Senator-elect Mack Bernard, a Democrat, outlined his legislative vision. It includes addressing water quality issues in the city of Riviera Beach, supporting economic and affordable housing initiatives across the state, and promoting land conservation.

Florida Democratic Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is launching an effort to directly reach Spanish-speaking voters through the popular encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp. It is part of her broader effort to reach Spanish-speaking Latino voters in an increasingly tight Senate race.