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Lawmakers consider additional special sessions
TALLAHASSEE --- With six more weeks of committee meetings before the 2023 legislative session starts in March, rumors are swirling in the Capitol that lawmakers could hold a special session or two.
Abortion. Gun regulations. Reedy Creek. Environmental, social and governance investing standards. Those are just some of the issues drawing discussion.
After a special session ended Wednesday on issues such as property insurance, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said “there’s certainly an opportunity.”
“We always look at, what is the timeline,” Renner told reporters. “Is this something that can be addressed in session? Or is this something that we need to do in a special session?”
Renner wouldn’t offer specific issues that could come up in a special session, other than to say there will be conversations with “our partners in the Senate.”
“I can tell you this, we're going to be busy this session,” Renner said of the 2023 regular session, which will begin March 7.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, brushed off talk of more special sessions when asked Tuesday, after the Senate wrapped up its work in this week’s session.
“Honestly, to quote the governor, ‘Chill,’” Passidomo said. “We just finished a big one, that we haven't really thought about what's going to happen (or) come down the road. There may be.”
In November, DeSantis said he was working on a “robust” agenda with legislative leaders that could mean more special sessions.
“We may even end up doing one or two in January, February potentially,” DeSantis said at the time. “We’re talking with the legislators, seeing what’s there. But I think we’re going to have a very robust agenda.”
