Legislative Update 2025 - Flipbook - Page 20
5
Session Week 5
2025
This week was the half way point of the 2025
Session and the legislature has only passed
44 bills in one chamber or the other, but
none having passed both chambers. At the
half way point last year the chambers
passed 12 bills at this point and in 2023 they
had passed 29 bills out. This delay and lack
of focused bill passage can be blamed on
the animosity between the legislature and
Governor, with the added burden of three
special sessions.
One notable bill under consideration this
session is a revision of the Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School Public
Safety Act. House Bill 759 proposes to lower
the minimum age for purchasing a rifle from
21 to 18.
Most of the week was focused on preparing
for budget negotiations. While both the
House and Senate have passed their
respective budgets, they have not yet
agreed on allocation amounts. In fact, the
two chambers are further apart in their
budget proposals than they have been in
previous years, setting the stage for
challenging negotiations ahead.
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Negotiations cannot begin until there is an
agreement on allocations. Adding to the
complexity, the Governor is pushing to
phase out property taxes, while the Speaker
is advocating for a reduction in the sales
tax. The budget outlook remains both grim
and complicated.
The gap between the House and Senate
budgets is over $4 billion—with the Senate
proposing $117.36 billion and the House
$112.95 billion. As committee hearings in
both chambers wind down, attention will
shift to floor sessions and finalizing the
budget. Next week’s focus will be on
tracking amendments and giving key
legislation a final push through the process.
Two key issues the FOP Legislative
Committee has been focused on saw action
in the Legislature this week. One measure
that was initially advancing has stalled due
to policy disagreements between the House
and Senate, while the other is progressing
and moving closer to a floor vote.
Jim Sniffen joined the lobbying team to help
advocate on both fronts, and the FOP
legislative team continued working to secure
support. Additionally, FOP District 5 visited
the Capitol and met with members of their
local delegation.
