The next presiding officers of the Florida Legislature on Thursday shared the first clues to how their chambers would operate over the next two years — and maybe foreshadowed some flashpoints to come.
Incoming House Speaker Danny Perez, a Miami Republican, released structural details such as the names of committees and their respective jurisdictions, plus the nine members who will comprise his leadership team.
Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton released the names of his leadership team only.
The information comes two days after the Nov. 5 elections in which Florida Republicans kept firm control over the Legislature and 11 days before the organization’s session, during which new members will be sworn into office and designated leaders assume control of their chambers.
Budget cuts ahead?
The House memo provided to the press shows that Perez plans to try to curb the size of the state budget. He announced he’s scrapping the long-standing House Appropriations Committee (and subcommittees) and replacing them with the Budget Committee and subcommittees. He noted it’s more than just a name change and that it “carries a deeper philosophical point.”
“We have spent taxpayer funds excessively and indiscriminately in the last few years. Member projects in the House budget have grown from $174 million in 2019 to $1.3 billion in 2024, which is a 645% increase,” Perez wrote in the memo.
“As elected officials, we should not be asking, ‘How much of the public’s money can we spend?’ As a House, we should do what Florida’s working families do every day: budget their money responsibly.”
Perez announced that Rep. Lawrence McClure will head the Budget Committee. In a prepared statement, McClure echoed Perez’s remarks about ensuring tax dollars are being properly spent.
“What we do best in Florida is passing a balanced budget year after year that meets the needs and priorities of our state – it’s the cornerstone for everything else we do in the legislature. However, I think we can do an even better job to ensure Florida’s tax dollars are being put to good use. I look forward to opening up the budget to discover where we make better, smarter choices.”
Looking closer at IT spending, policy
Perez’s memo notes the creation of two new House legislative panels: the Information Technology Budget & Policy Subcommittee and the Security & Threat Assessment Committee. The state has struggled with at least two large IT projects: Florida Health Care Connections, or FX, and PALM, for Planning Accounting Ledger Management, at the Department of Financial Services.
“Florida invests hundreds of millions of dollars in information technology projects, many of which fail. As a Legislature, we have no clear information technology policy strategy. Our response to the repeated failure to execute IT projects has been to create, dissolve, and recreate a technology agency,” Perez wrote.
“Technology policy in the Legislature either happens informally through behind-the-scenes conversations or appears as language buried in budget proviso. As policymakers and stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must do a better job. This new subcommittee will bring this dialogue to the forefront and put this conversation where it should be — in the hands of the Members in a committee setting. This new subcommittee will play a direct role in our budget process.”
Perez said the IT subcommittee will “evaluate all technology projects proposed for the state budget.”
Perez, meanwhile, said the Security & Threat Assessment Committee “will function as a forum where committee members will have an opportunity to be briefed on issues including law enforcement threats, cybersecurity threats, and threats to the Capitol complex.”
“In order to protect the identity of witnesses and confidential sources,” Perez wrote in the memo, “a secured briefing will be open only to members of the committee.”
Perez said presiding officers have traditionally been given access to confidential information but believes that “in a healthy legislative body the circle of trust should be wider.”
That committee will be chaired by Rep. Tyler Sirois, who will also serve as the House Majority Leader.
Perez announced that:
- Rep. Wyman Duggan will serve as speaker pro tempore and Ways & Means Committee chair;
- Rep. Sam Garrison will chair the Rules & Ethics Committee;
- Rep. Will Robinson will head the State Affairs Committee;
- Rep. Josie Tomkow will chair the Health & Human Services Committee;
- Rep. Jennifer Canady will chair the Education & Employment Committee;
- Rep. James Buchanan will head the Commerce Committee;
- Rep. Chuck Brannan will chair the Judiciary Committee.
Albritton’s team
Albritton, meanwhile, didn’t release any details about how the Senate would operate in the next two years but did identify his leadership team.
Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Republican who represents parts of Seminole and Orange counties, will serve as Senate President Pro Tempore.
“Jason and I came into the House together in 2010, and he has always been a reliable partner in working through challenging policy and budget issues. His ability to grasp extremely complicated issues quickly and articulate both the problem and the solution with ease is truly amazing. His authenticity and positivity, combined with his deep knowledge and experience in the legislative process, make him a perfect fit for the important role of President Pro Tempore,” wrote Albritton, a Republican who represents the heartland region of Central and South-Central Florida.
Outgoing Senate President Kathleen Passidomo will return as Rules chair, a position she held for two years before becoming Senate President in 2022.
“Serving as the Rules Chair is a tall task. I am thankful President Passidomo is willing to step back into an important and extremely time-consuming role during her last two years in the Senate. Her dedication and keen attention to detail will continue to serve the Senate well,” Albritton said.
Sen. Ed Hooper will chair the Senate Committee on Appropriations, making him the chamber’s top money man. Sen. Joe Gruters will serve as chair of the Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy.
Meanwhile, Sen. Jim Boyd, slated to follow Albritton as Senate president, is the new majority leader.
“Senator Boyd is truly the epitome of the citizen legislator envisioned in our Constitution. Together with [Senate Minority Leader] Senator [Jason] Pizzo, he will work to ensure a smooth operation on the Senate Floor where all Senators will have the opportunity to have their voices heard,” Albritton wrote.
–Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix
LTD Guv says
Love having a thrifty state government. It means keeping taxes lower and accountability local.
The dude says
Where do you live that the taxes are low?
Flagler County/Palm Coast taxes are the highest taxes I’ve paid my entire adult life, which wouldn’t be a problem if the city services were anywhere near commensurate with the compensation. Which they are not.
Instead, I pay $150.00 a month for water I can’t drink and garbage that may or may not be picked up…
Deborah Coffey says
The only way Fascists have a thrifty government is by taking everything away from the people and stuffing it into their own pockets and those of other greedy Fascists. “Leaner” to them means screw the people.
Jim says
A few ideas about budget management if anyone’s interested:
No taxpayer monies spent shipping migrants from another state to a “Democrat” city (not that this is political as opposed to good for Floridians).
No more money for the “State Guard”. (We’ve got a National Guard and the State Police). Funnel the money and resources to units that already exist. At a minimum, we’d save all the money spent to create another management bureaucracy.
No more money for the “Election Police”. (Love to see the data on how many illegal voters this crack investigative unit has convicted vs. the amount of money spent).
No more money for the Haitian Protection/Eviction Program in the south of the state. (Anyone know how many dastardly Haitians they’ve caught and returned? Just curious.)
No more state money spent in elections pushing the governor’s position. (I believe the judge said “it’s the First Amendment, stupid.)
There’s others but I’ve wasted enough energy. This is Florida.
Evil won says
Haha how much has Florida spent on racist rons stupid ideas and lawsuits, spending your dollars to fly non whites to Martha’s Vineyard, removing elected officials who disagree with the dictator. Rip merica
Deborah Coffey says
And, in court cases for all of his unconstitutional rulings and for suing the federal government that he despises.