Florida legislature bucks special session call from Gov. Ron DeSantis

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is pushing for a special legislative session later this month, but his call is facing resistance from state lawmakers. Despite the chief executive’s urgency on measures to address illegal immigration, condo reform, and other pressing issues—Republican leaders in the state House and Senate call the timing “premature,” with the regular session only about 50 days away.

In a joint statement, Florida House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) and Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) made it clear that they do not support an early return to Tallahassee. The two leaders emphasized that the upcoming regular session will address the same issues DeSantis seeks to address.

“In particular, when it comes to immigration, we are strong supporters of President Trump and stand ready to follow his lead,” read the statement. “At this time, we are not aware of any specific guidance provided to the states about actions state legislatures can take to support forthcoming federal action. It is completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or ill-timed state action could potentially impair or impede the success of President Trump’s forthcoming efforts to end illegal immigration, close our borders, and protect the sovereignty of our nation.”

While the lawmakers’ opposition may delay the special session, it does not prevent DeSantis from moving forward. The governor formally issued a proclamation to convene lawmakers, though they retain control over whether to pass legislation once they arrive in the capitol.

Florida’s current impasse is familiar to 2010 when then-Gov. Charlie Crist called a special session on offshore drilling following the BP oil spill. Lawmakers dismissed the initiative without advancing any bills, gaveling in for only a matter of minutes before departing for home.

DeSantis’ push for immediate action comes as President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on Jan. 20, with promises of the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history. The governor said Florida must be prepared to act swiftly in response to a flurry of executive orders from the new White House.

“We're going to have some time to process to make sure we're doing what we need to do, but then we need to act, and we need to act quickly,” said the governor at a Tallahassee press conference. “We don't have time to waste. The American people spoke very clearly.”

DeSantis proposed Jan. 27 as the week lawmakers convene. He hoped legislation would force state and local officials to comply with new federal rules and offered a stern warning for those who didn’t.

“We are going to need legislation to impose additional duties on local officials and provide funding for those local officials,” said DeSantis. “If those duties are clear in law, I have the authority, concerning certain officials, to suspend them from their office if they are neglecting their duties, and that's a that's an authority that I have invoked when it's been appropriate in the past.”

DeSantis also expressed support for repealing in-state college tuition for undocumented students, a policy he argued incentivizes illegal immigration. State Senator Randy Fine (R-Melbourne), who sponsors the bill, echoed the sentiment, stating that the policy “gives human traffickers a reason to bring their children to Florida.”

“We don't want illegal immigrants in Florida,” Fine added. “Go somewhere else, and better yet— stay home.”

The in-state tuition break was passed in 2014 as a bipartisan effort to support Dreamers—immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. At the time, the initiative was championed by Florida’s current Lieutenant Governor, Jeanette Nuñez, who was serving as a state lawmaker.

“Let’s not hold these children responsible for actions that their parents took,” said Nuñez in 2014. “Something they had no control over. Let’s allow for opportunities for all of Florida’s children.”

Beyond immigration, DeSantis also called for a range of other measures, including additional hurricane relief, a crackdown on ballot initiative signature fraud, and reforms to address rising HOA fees—issues that have gained attention in the wake of the Surfside condo collapse.

However, Democrats were skeptical of the governor’s motives. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) called the special session proposal a “stunt” designed to distract from the incoming Trump administration.

“It’s an attempt to get attention,” Driskell said. “It's an attempt to maybe try to take some of the shine away from the President just after he's been inaugurated…”

Driskell also questioned the omission of property insurance reform from DeSantis’ proposed agenda and criticized the emphasis on immigration, a matter she believes should be handled by Congress.

“Immigration is an issue that is resigned to the Congress,” she said. “It's resigned to the federal government. You know, if he really wants to address these issues so bad, maybe he should go back to Congress.”

As the situation develops, it remains uncertain whether DeSantis will continue to press ahead with the special session call. If he does, lawmakers will still have the final say on any proposed legislation, setting the stage for a potentially contentious political standoff.