Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday that he is convening a special legislative session during the week of January 27 to tackle a range of pressing issues, including immigration policy, hurricane recovery efforts, condominium regulations, and the state’s ballot-initiative process.
Governor DeSantis emphasized that the state needs to prepare for significant changes in federal immigration policy under President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20.
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“State and local officials in Florida must help the Trump administration enforce our nation’s immigration laws,” DeSantis said. “In order to do that effectively, we are going to need legislation to impose additional duties on local officials and provide funding for those local officials.”
DeSantis did not provide specific details about the proposed immigration-related legislation but indicated it would focus on tightening enforcement, combating human trafficking, and reducing state expenditures related to undocumented immigrants.
“There also needs to be measures to hold people accountable who are violating our anti-sanctuary policies,” he said. “Florida needs to make sure that we don’t have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally.”
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The session will also address ongoing recovery from recent hurricanes, which have caused widespread devastation across the state. Lawmakers are expected to discuss additional funding for rebuilding efforts, support for affected communities, and improvements to disaster preparedness and response systems.
In light of the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse, the governor also called for legislative action to strengthen safety regulations for multi-story residential buildings. Proposed measures could include stricter inspection requirements, enhanced accountability for condominium associations, and additional funding for building maintenance.
Another key issue on the agenda is reforming Florida’s ballot-initiative process. DeSantis and Republican leaders have criticized what they describe as outside influence in the state’s citizen-led initiatives, which have resulted in several constitutional amendments in recent years.
“We need a process that reflects the will of Floridians, not one that is driven by special interest groups from outside the state,” DeSantis explained.
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While specific proposals are expected to emerge in the coming days, the special session underscores DeSantis’s intention to address state and federal priorities in alignment with the incoming Trump administration. Republican leaders in the legislature have expressed strong support for the session.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner are expected to work closely with the governor to advance his legislative agenda.
The special session will convene at the state capitol in Tallahassee starting January 27. More details about proposed legislation and key priorities will be revealed in the days leading up to the session.
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