Florida lawmakers opened the 2026 regular legislative session Tuesday with Republican leaders emphasizing affordability, taxes and fiscal restraint, while House Democrats argued the state has become too expensive for many residents and urged a shift in priorities as Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered his final state-of-the-state address.
Senate President Ben Albritton said the Legislature would again “pass a balanced budget that holds the line on state spending, pays down debt, cuts taxes, and saves for the future,” calling it “the single best thing we in the Florida Legislature can do to keep our state on the right track.”
Albritton said “affordability is top of mind for many Florida families,” pointing to Florida’s tax exemptions on “grocery store food,” diapers, clothing and “year-round hurricane preparedness.” He also signaled support for property-tax changes, adding, “This year, I look forward to providing voters the opportunity to pass meaningful property tax relief.”
House Speaker Daniel Perez told members that the chamber would approach the coming weeks “with an open hand, an open mind, and an open heart,” and said, “The Florida House stands ready to work with anyone who is willing to put the needs of our State first.”
Perez said lawmakers face issues including “Affordability and insurance … Taxes and the economy … Prescription drug prices and the rising cost of public benefits,” and added, “We must ensure Florida stays at the center of our planet’s race for the stars, and that our infrastructure keeps pace with our growth.”
House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell criticized DeSantis’ tenure, referring to his legacy as “Division, meanness, and a growing affordability crisis.”
She said Democrats have aligned around an “Affordability Agenda,” including a “National Insurance Compact,” the H.O.M.E. Act, and proposals to “Refocus Florida’s Government.”
Driskell also warned of a coming fight over congressional maps, calling the mid-decade redistricting effort “an illegal partisan gerrymander,” and saying, “People should pick their politicians; politicians should not pick their people.”
