TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After a controversial and consequential 2022 session, the Florida Legislature’s GOP majority is preparing for the next one. Will it imply extra abortion restrictions? Further work on property insurance coverage? What about election reform?
Rep. Daniel Perez, R-Miami, not too long ago advised us what to anticipate in 2023. Though the celebration tapped the South Florida lawmaker to take the House speakership in 2024, he stays a high-ranking member of the GOP till then.
Speculation has grown that Republicans will try and additional prohibit abortion entry within the coming yr.
During his 15-minute interview, Perez stored the door open for such an effort. He did not provide specifics however recommended members had been eager about going past the 15-week ban, which took impact in July.
“We have to make sure that every single unborn child has the ability to live the life that you and I are living,” Perez mentioned. “While we’re in election season, we haven’t had the opportunity to begin to file a bill. So, there hasn’t been any bill that has been, you know, shown to us or given to us by the governor’s office, as of yet — at least not for me personally. But, I’m sure shortly after the election in November, that’ll be one of the hotter topics.”
Another sizzling matter is property insurance coverage. Lawmakers made reforms during this yr’s particular session, together with $2 billion in reinsurance aid and work to curb frivolous litigation. Critics have mentioned it wasn’t sufficient. The market stays too unstable with premiums too excessive.
“I expect there to be more legislation in the coming session to, somehow, figure out a way to get more competition in the marketplace,” Perez mentioned. “Property insurance has been, as of late, losing companies and losing competition in the state of Florida. So, our goal is to make sure that more companies want to move it to Florida in order for the cost to eventually stabilize or decrease.”
On gun rights, Gov. Ron DeSantis has vowed to signal a controversial constitutional carry invoice into legislation if the Legislature will get it to his desk. Perez mentioned he hadn’t but seen a invoice, however provided phrases of help for the idea.
“I can assure you that if there’s a pro-Second Amendment bill that the governor is in line with, that the House is in line with, and the Senate is in line with, that it would get signed,” he mentioned. “The House is not lacking friends for the Second Amendment. I can tell you that.”
Further election reform was additionally coming, Perez believed. Despite widespread voter fraud remaining absent from Florida and its elections officers persevering with to tout state successes, Perez mentioned the state wanted to maintain working.
“I think we still need to continue to work on it and make sure that someone who is going to the ballot box, or filling out a ballot and sending it in, that it is accurate,” Perez mentioned. “It is who they are and that the supervisor of elections in each county is doing their job the way that they were sworn to do so.”
In current years, Democrats have condemned Republican efforts on election reform. Members have referred to as them “fearmongering” or a “solution in search of a problem.”
Perez mentioned the reforms are an try and make the state as safe as attainable.
“Until we can put our heads on pillows at night and say we’ve done everything in our capacity to make sure that the people voting are exactly who they say they are and have not gone around the system, then we have to keep working on this issue,” Perez mentioned.
Speaking of elections, for Republicans to perform any of those targets, they will must preserve management of each chambers during the midterms.
The expectation is that they are going to, however Perez went additional.
He felt the GOP had a superb shot at capturing a supermajority within the House, which he mentioned wants a two-seat pickup.