With supermajorities in the GOP-controlled Legislature in Florida, Democrats during the special session this week will try to push for legislation on a number of fronts, from hate crimes and increased security for historically Black colleges and universities to Medicaid expansion for certain families, among other measures.
In some cases, Republicans in the state House this morning refused to pursue the Democrats’ legislation.
For example, an effort to introduce the Medicaid expansion bill related to children was voted down by Republicans in the House. A housing bill to create a department for housing and tenant rights also was voted down by the GOP in the House.
Another Democratic House bill, filed Monday by Dianne Hart, of Hillsborough County, relates to $30 million “for providing an appropriation to the Department of Education for increased security measures at public and private historically black colleges and universities in the state.” That legislation has now been referred to the House Appropriations Committee.
In other Democratic bills in the House, State Rep. Anna Eskamani, of Orlando, filed legislation about evictions during emergency conditions, stating that: “The sheriff may not serve or execute a writ of possession on a premises in a county that is under a hurricane watch or hurricane warning by the National Weather Service until 5 days after the termination of the hurricane watch or hurricane warning,” among other measures.
In addition, State Rep. Angie Nixon filed a resolution Monday “calling for an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in the State of Israel and occupied Palestine, supporting the protection of the constitutional rights of Floridians, and advocating for the dignity and safety of residents in every community.”
The resolution also “urges the Biden administration to immediately call for and facilitate de-escalation and a cease-fire to promptly end the current violence in the State of Israel and occupied Palestine, and to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”
And “opposes criminalizing Floridians’ rights to speak out against and protest human rights violations against any group of people and supports the protection of constitutional rights of Floridians by declaring its intention to repeal such legislation.”
Thus far, the state Senate has not added on any new legislation Monday during the special session.
This article originally appeared in florida phoenix