Fast-tracked controversial bills from Florida lawmakers fuel DeSantis' presidential ambitions [View all]

While Gov. Ron DeSantis schedules a book tour of early presidential primary states to promote “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” the Legislature is implementing his blueprint for Florida at an unprecedented pace.

The first week of April is the halfway mark of the Legislature’s annual 60-day session and already lawmakers have passed and DeSantis signed a bill to create one of the country’s largest taxpayer funded private school voucher programs.

Big ticket items or ones that may include a hefty price tag traditionally are held up in committees until the horse trading and session ends when a state budget is finalized. But not this year.

Lawmakers have also sent, and DeSantis signed an $800 million affordable housing plan, and a tort measure supporters say will lower the cost of property insurance even as it spurred a lawsuit logjam with tens of thousands of lawsuits flooding the offices of court clerks in the days before the law could take hold.

A measure to loosen restrictions on firearms and allow permitless carry of guns also bulleted through the legislature and is now on the way to the governor's desk.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2023/04/03/florida-legislative-session-desantis-racks-up-big-early-wins-heres-why/70051622007/