From legalizing marijuana in Florida to deciding the political fates of Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, we bring you a handful of the big stories likely to dominate throughout the new year.

As Florida braces for 2024, we take a look at several key issues we think will dominate the news feed for a good chunk of the year. Whether it’s a groundbreaking marijuana legalization initiative to transformative healthcare reforms, heated immigration debates to high-stakes political contests, Floridians are set to face a series of significant decisions that could reshape the state’s future. These stories, reflecting a blend of progressive movements and conservative responses, underscore the evolving societal and political dynamics of the Sunshine State. As these narratives unfold, they will not only capture the attention of Floridians but also resonate on the national stage, highlighting the state’s influential role in shaping broader American discourse.

• Marijuana Ballot Initiative: Florida voters will have a significant decision to make in the 2024 election as they face the opportunity to legalize recreational marijuana. The initiative, known as the Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative (Initiative #22-05), proposes legalizing marijuana for adults 21 years and older, allowing individuals to possess up to three ounces. Smart & Safe Florida, the campaign behind this initiative, successfully gathered over 967,528 valid signatures, surpassing the required 891,523 to place the issue on the November 5, 2024 ballot​​​​​​​​.
• Sports betting: The Seminoles finally locked up the sports betting market in Florida, but other players in the industry aren’t quite ready to throw in the towel…there’s just too much money at stake. Fantasy game operators FanDuel and DraftKings aren’t going anywhere, and neither are their competitors. Expect the Seminoles to continue defending their turf, but plenty of other casino operators and online ventures will do everything possible to nibble away at the fringes while attempting to open the floodgates in a less controlled manner than the Seminoles prefer.
• Property and Auto Insurance Markets: Florida’s property insurance market, already a topic of much debate and legislative action, will remain a critical issue. Lawmakers have urged patience to allow reforms to settle the market. But as families grapple with soaring premiums, there’s growing concern that the auto insurance market could be the next battleground. The recent legislation aimed at stabilizing the property insurance market, which benefitted many insurers, has also sparked anticipation in the auto insurance sector, with some experts predicting a similar crisis on the horizon. Notably, many of the property insurers, who are now poised on firmer ground, also offer auto insurance policies. This overlap raises questions about potential legislative moves that could impact the auto insurance market, as insurers and consumers alike watch closely for changes that could affect premiums and coverage options.
• Healthy/Live Healthy Initiative: Florida’s healthcare system is poised for significant changes with the introduction of the ‘Live Healthy’ initiative by Senate Republicans. Spearheaded by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, this initiative focuses on growing the healthcare workforce in Florida, increasing access to care, and encouraging innovation. With Florida facing a potential shortfall of 18,000 doctors by 2035, the ‘Live Healthy’ initiative aims to address these pressing needs through substantial investments and policy changes​​​​​​​​​​.
• Immigration and Sanctuary Cities: With the 2024 election cycle already in full swing, expect immigration to remain a hot topic in 2024, especially now that red state governors, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, are regularly bussing or flying undocumented border-crossers to Democrat run states and their so-called “sanctuary cities.” As more and more people come face to face with the realities already gripping Texas and other border states, and the crisis spills over into progressive havens, the issue will only gain traction in 2024. Democrat cognitive dissonance on the matter will increase as we get closer to November and election day, making for some lively headlines and narratives.
• 2024 Primary/General Election: The political fate of Ron DeSantis will soon be known. Whether or not he completes a Hail Mary pass in Iowa and is able to parlay that into additional presidential primary success is only a small part of the overall story. The fate of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden will also be decided over the course of the year, but so, too, will hundreds of other Florida political candidates.

Got a potential big story we missed?  Shoot us an email at news@thecapitolist.com.