Florida Legislature

Legislative branch of the state government of Florida

Florida Legislature

Type
Type|

Bicameral

Chambers| Senate
House of Representatives
History
Founded| May 26, 1845
Preceded by| Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida

New session started

| November 19, 2024; 8 months ago (2024-11-19)
Leadership

Senate President

Ben Albritton (R)
since November 19, 2024

House Speaker

Daniel Perez (R)
since November 19, 2024

Structure
Seats| 160 voting members

* 40 senators
* 120 representatives

State Senate political groups

| Majority

* Republican (26)

Minority

* Democratic (10)
* Independent (1)

Vacant (3)

House of Representatives political groups

| Majority

* Republican (87)

Minority

* Democratic (32)

Vacant (1)
Salary| $18,000/year + per diem (Subsistence & Travel)[1]
Elections

Last State Senate election

| November 5, 2024

Last House of Representatives election

| November 5, 2024

Next State Senate election

| November 3, 2026

Next House of Representatives election

| November 3, 2026
Redistricting| Legislative control
Motto
In God We Trust
Meeting place
Florida Capitol (Old Capitol in foreground) Tallahassee
Website
Official Website
Constitution
Constitution of Florida

The Florida Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an  upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the legislature and how it is to be constituted.[2] The legislature is composed of 160 state legislators (120 in the House and 40 in the Senate). The primary purpose of the legislature is to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. It meets in the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee.[3]

## History

[edit]

For much of its history, Florida's legislature was limited to men and blacks were excluded. During the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War, Republicans held power in the state and nationally. The enfranchised African Americans who voted and helped elect officeholders at the local, state, and federal levels. After Reconstruction ended Democrats regained power, disenfranchised blacks, and excluded them from local and state offices until the civil rights era of the 1960s. Florida's 19th century state officeholders are noted at African American officeholders from the end of the Civil War until before 1900.

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became law on August 26th, 1920 and enfranchised women voters even though Florida did no ratify the federal law for decades. Florida ratified the amendment in 1969.[4] Edna Giles Fuller began serving in the Florida House in 1929. Beth Johnson began serving in the Florida Senate 1963.[5]

## Florida Senate

[edit]

Main article: Florida Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the state legislature. As of August 2025, Republicans hold the majority in the Senate with 26 seats; Democrats are in the minority with 10 seats. There is one independent, and three seats are vacant.[6]

## Florida House of Representatives

[edit]

Main article: Florida House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower house of the state legislature. As of July 2025, Republicans hold the majority in the House of Representatives with 87 seats, and Democrats hold 32 seats. One seat is vacant.[7]

## Terms

[edit]

### Senate

[edit]

All terms were truncated again in 2016, with all 40 Senate seats up for election, due to court-ordered redistricting.[8]

### House of Representatives

[edit]

Members of the House of Representatives are elected for terms of two years in each even-numbered year.[8]

### Term limits

[edit]

In 1992, voters passed Amendment 9 to amend the State Constitution to limit federal and state officials to eight-year terms. In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could not enact congressional term limits.[9]

## Qualifications

[edit]

Florida legislators must be at least twenty-one years old, an elector and resident of their district, and must have resided in Florida for at least two years before an election.[8]

## Legislative session

[edit]

### Regular legislative sessions

[edit]

The Florida Legislature meets in a 60-day regular legislative session each year. Regular legislative sessions in odd-numbered years must begin on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March and on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each even-numbered year.[8]

Before 1991, the regular legislative session began in April. Senate Joint Resolution 380 (1989) proposed to the voters a constitutional amendment (approved November 1990) that shifted the starting date of regular legislative session from April to February. Subsequently, Senate Joint Resolution 2606 (1994) proposed to the voters a constitutional amendment (approved November 1994) shifting the start date to March, where it remains. In recent years, the legislature has opted to start in January to allow lawmakers to be home with their families during school spring breaks, and to give more time ahead of the legislative elections in the Fall.[10]

### Special legislative sessions

[edit]

Special legislative sessions may be called by the governor, by a joint proclamation of the Senate president and House speaker, or by a three-fifths vote of all legislators. During any special session, the legislature may only address legislative business that is within the purview of the purpose or purposes stated in the special session proclamation.[11]

## Powers and process

[edit]

Politics of Florida

Constitution and law

* United States Constitution
* Florida Constitution
* Florida law

Executive

* Governor: Ron DeSantis (R)
* Lieutenant Governor: Jeanette Nuñez (R)
* Cabinet
* Attorney General: Vacant
* Chief Financial Officer: Jimmy Patronis (R)
* Commissioner of Agriculture: Wilton Simpson (R)
* State agencies

Legislature

* Senate
* President: Ben Albritton (R)
* President pro Tempore: Jason Brodeur (R)
* Majority Leader: Jim Boyd (R)
* Minority Leader: Jason Pizzo (D)
* House
* Speaker: Daniel Perez (R)
* Speaker pro Tempore: Wyman Duggan (R)
* Majority Leader: Tyler Sirois (R)
* Minority Leader: Fentrice Driskell (D)

Judiciary

* Supreme Court
* Chief Justice: Carlos G. Muñiz
* District courts of appeal
* Circuit courts
* County courts

Elections

* Political parties
* Democratic Party
* Republican Party
* Constitution Party
* Ecology Party
* Green Party
* Independent Party
* Libertarian Party
* Party for Socialism and Liberation
* National minor parties
* Political party strength

Administrative divisions

* Counties
* Municipalities

Congressional delegation

* U.S. Senate
* Marco Rubio (R)
* Rick Scott (R)
* U.S. House of Representatives
* 1: vacant
* 2: Neal Dunn (R)
* 3: Kat Cammack (R)
* 4: Aaron Bean (R)
* 5: John Rutherford (R)
* 6: Mike Waltz (R)
* 7: Cory Mills (R)
* 8: Bill Posey (R)
* 9: Darren Soto (D)
* 10: Maxwell Frost (D)
* 11: Daniel Webster (R)
* 12: Gus Bilirakis (R)
* 13: Anna Paulina Luna (R)
* 14: Kathy Castor (D)
* 15: Laurel Lee (R)
* 16: Vern Buchanan (R)
* 17: Greg Steube (R)
* 18: Scott Franklin (R)
* 19: Byron Donalds (R)
* 20: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D)
* 21: Brian Mast (R)
* 22: Lois Frankel (D)
* 23: Jared Moskowitz (D)
* 24: Frederica Wilson (D)
* 25: Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)
* 26: Mario Díaz-Balart (R)
* 27: Maria Elvira Salazar (R)
* 28: Carlos A. Giménez (R)

* Politics of the United States
* Politics portal Florida portal

* v
* t
* e

The Florida Legislature is authorized by the Florida Constitution to create and amend the laws of the state of Florida, subject to the governor's power to veto legislation. To do so, legislators propose legislation in the forms of bills drafted by a nonpartisan, professional staff. Successful legislation must undergo committee review, three readings on the floor of each house, with appropriate voting majorities, as required, and either be signed into law by the governor or enacted through a veto override approved by two-thirds of the membership of each legislative house.[12]

Its statutes, called "chapter laws" or generically as "slip laws" when printed separately, are compiled into the Laws of Florida and are called "session laws".[13] The Florida Statutes are the codified statutory laws of the state.[13]

In 2009, legislators filed 2,138 bills for consideration. On average, the legislature has passed about 300 bills into law annually.[14]

In 2013, the legislature filed about 2,000 bills. About 1,000 of these were "member bills." The remainder are bills by committees responsible for certain functions, such as the budget. In 2016, about 15% of the bills were passed.[15] In 2017, 1,885 lobbyists registered to represent 3,724 entities.[15]

The legislature also has the power to propose amendments to the Florida Constitution.

## Leadership

[edit]

The House of Representatives is headed by the speaker of the House, while the Senate is headed by the Senate president. The House speaker and Senate president control the assignment of committees and leadership positions, along with control of the agenda in their chambers. The two leaders, along with the governor of Florida, control most of the agenda of state business in Florida.[16]

* President of the Senate: Kathleen Passidomo (R)
* President Pro Tempore of the Florida Senate: Dennis Baxley (R)
* Majority Leader of the Florida Senate: Ben Albritton (R)
* Minority Leader of the Florida Senate: Lori Berman (D)
* Speaker of the Florida House: Paul Renner (R)
* Speaker Pro Tempore of the Florida House: Chuck Clemons (R)
* Majority Leader of the Florida House: Michael J. Grant (R)
* Minority Leader of the Florida House: Fentrice Driskell (D)

## See also

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Government of Florida.

* Florida House of Representatives
* Florida Senate
* Florida Senate Majority Office
* Florida State Capitol
* Government of Florida
* List of presidents of the Florida Senate
* List of speakers of the Florida House of Representatives
* List of Florida state legislatures
* The Florida Channel

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The 2017 Florida Statutes F.S. 11.13 Compensation of members". Florida Legislature.
2. ^ "Constitution of the State of Florida". Florida Legislature. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
3. ^ "FAQ". Florida Senate.
4. ^ "Florida and the 19th Amendment (U.S. National Park Service)".
5. ^ "First Women to Serve in State and Territorial Legislatures".
6. ^ "2024-2026 Senators". Florida Senate. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
7. ^ "Representatives of the Florida House". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
8. ^ a b c d "Constitution of the State of Florida". Florida Legislature. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
9. ^ "Florida Backs Article V Convention for Constitutional Amendment on Congressional Term Limits". Sunshine State News. February 11, 2016.
10. ^ Buzzacco-Foerster, Jenna (February 18, 2016). "Proposal to move 2018 session to January heads House floor". Florida Politics. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
11. ^ "The Florida Constitution". Florida Legislature.
12. ^ "The Florida Senate Handbook" (PDF). Florida Senate.
13. ^ a b "Statutes & Constitution: Online Sunshine". Florida Legislature. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
14. ^ Flemming, Paul (March 8, 2009). Capital Ideas: Lawmakers face 2,138 proposals. Florida Today.
15. ^ a b Cotterell, Bill (March 7, 2017). "Legislative session by the numbers". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 5A.
16. ^ "Welcome : Online Sunshine". www.leg.state.fl.us.

## External links

[edit]

* Florida Legislature

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Florida Senate

President
Ben Albritton (R)
President pro tempore
Jason Brodeur (R)
Majority Leader
Jim Boyd (R)
Minority Leader
Lori Berman (D)

1. ▌Don Gaetz (R)
2. ▌Jay Trumbull (R)
3. ▌Corey Simon (R)
4. ▌Clay Yarborough (R)
5. ▌Tracie Davis (D)
6. ▌Jennifer Bradley (R)
7. ▌Tom Leek (R)
8. ▌Tom A. Wright (R)
9. ▌Stan McClain (R)
10. ▌Jason Brodeur (R)
11. ▌Vacant
12. ▌Colleen Burton (R)
13. ▌Keith Truenow (R)
14. ▌Vacant
15. ▌Vacant
16. ▌Darryl Rouson (D)
17. ▌Carlos G. Smith (D)
18. ▌Nick DiCeglie (R)
19. ▌Debbie Mayfield (R)
20. ▌Jim Boyd (R)
21. ▌Ed Hooper (R)
22. ▌Joe Gruters (R)
23. ▌Danny Burgess (R)
24. ▌Mack Bernard (D)
25. ▌Kristen Arrington (D)
26. ▌Lori Berman (D)
27. ▌Ben Albritton (R)
28. ▌Kathleen Passidomo (R)
29. ▌Erin Grall (R)
30. ▌Tina Polsky (D)
31. ▌Gayle Harrell (R)
32. ▌Rosalind Osgood (D)
33. ▌Jonathan Martin (R)
34. ▌Shevrin Jones (D)
35. ▌Barbara Sharief (D)
36. ▌Ileana Garcia (R)
37. ▌Jason Pizzo (I)
38. ▌Alexis Calatayud (R)
39. ▌Bryan Avila (R)
40. ▌Ana Maria Rodriguez (R)

* ▌Republican (26)
* ▌Democratic (10)
* ▌Independent (1)
* ▌ Vacant (3)
* Florida Legislature
* Florida House of Representatives
* Florida Senate

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Florida House of Representatives

Speaker
▌Daniel Perez (R)
Speaker pro tempore
▌Wyman Duggan (R)
Majority Leader
▌Tyler Sirois (R)
Minority Leader
▌Fentrice Driskell (D)

1. ▌Michelle Salzman (R)
2. ▌Alex Andrade (R)
3. ▌Nathan Boyles (R)
4. ▌Patt Maney (R)
5. ▌Shane Abbott (R)
6. ▌Philip Griffitts (R)
7. ▌Jason Shoaf (R)
8. ▌Gallop Franklin (D)
9. ▌Allison Tant (D)
10. ▌Chuck Brannan (R)
11. ▌Sam Garrison (R)
12. ▌Wyman Duggan (R)
13. ▌Angie Nixon (D)
14. ▌Kimberly Daniels (D)
15. ▌Dean Black (R)
16. ▌Kiyan Michael (R)
17. ▌Jessica Baker (R)
18. ▌Kim Kendall (R)
19. ▌Sam Greco (R)
20. ▌Judson Sapp (R)
21. ▌Yvonne Hayes Hinson (D)
22. ▌Chad Johnson (R)
23. ▌J.J. Grow (R)
24. ▌Ryan Chamberlin (R)
25. ▌Taylor Yarkosky (R)
26. ▌Nan Cobb (R)
27. ▌Richard Gentry (R)
28. ▌Bill Parrington (R)
29. ▌Webster Barnaby (R)
30. ▌Chase Tramont (R)
31. ▌Tyler Sirois (R)
32. ▌Brian Hodgers (R)
33. ▌Monique Miller (R)
34. ▌Robbie Brackett (R)
35. ▌Erika Booth (R)
36. ▌Rachel Plakon (R)
37. ▌Susan Plasencia (R)
38. ▌David Smith (R)
39. ▌Doug Bankson (R)
40. ▌LaVon Bracy Davis (D)
41. ▌Bruce Antone (D)
42. ▌Anna V. Eskamani (D)
43. ▌Johanna López (D)
44. ▌Rita Harris (D)
45. ▌Leonard Spencer (D)
46. ▌Jose Alvarez (D)
47. ▌Paula Stark (R)
48. ▌Jon Albert (R)
49. ▌Jennifer Kincart Jonsson (R)
50. ▌Jennifer Canady (R)
51. ▌Josie Tomkow (R)
52. ▌John Temple (R)
53. ▌Jeff Holcomb (R)
54. ▌Randy Maggard (R)
55. ▌Kevin Steele (R)
56. ▌Brad Yeager (R)
57. ▌Adam Anderson (R)
58. ▌Kim Berfield (R)
59. ▌Berny Jacques (R)
60. ▌Lindsay Cross (D)
61. ▌Linda Chaney (R)
62. ▌Michele Rayner (D)
63. ▌Dianne Hart (D)
64. ▌Susan Valdes (R)
65. ▌Karen Gonzalez Pittman (R)
66. ▌Traci Koster (R)
67. ▌Fentrice Driskell (D)
68. ▌Lawrence McClure (R)
69. ▌Danny Alvarez (R)
70. ▌Michael Owen (R)
71. ▌Will Robinson (R)
72. ▌Bill Conerly (R)
73. ▌Fiona McFarland (R)
74. ▌James Buchanan (R)
75. ▌Danny Nix (R)
76. ▌Vanessa Oliver (R)
77. ▌Tiffany Esposito (R)
78. ▌Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R)
79. ▌Mike Giallombardo (R)
80. ▌Adam Botana (R)
81. ▌Yvette Benarroch (R)
82. ▌Lauren Melo (R)
83. ▌Kaylee Tuck (R)
84. ▌Dana Trabulsy (R)
85. ▌Toby Overdorf (R)
86. ▌John Snyder (R)
87. ▌Mike Caruso (R)
88. ▌Jervonte Edmonds (D)
89. ▌Debra Tendrich (D)
90. Vacant
91. ▌Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R)
92. ▌Kelly Skidmore (D)
93. ▌Anne Gerwig (R)
94. ▌Meg Weinberger (R)
95. ▌Christine Hunschofsky (D)
96. ▌Dan Daley (D)
97. ▌Lisa Dunkley (D)
98. ▌Patricia Hawkins-Williams (D)
99. ▌Daryl Campbell (D)
100. ▌Chip LaMarca (R)
101. ▌Hillary Cassel (R)
102. ▌Michael Gottlieb (D)
103. ▌Robin Bartleman (D)
104. ▌Felicia Robinson (D)
105. ▌Marie Woodson (D)
106. ▌Fabián Basabe (R)
107. ▌Wallace Aristide (D)
108. ▌Dotie Joseph (D)
109. ▌Ashley Gantt (D)
110. ▌Tom Fabricio (R)
111. ▌David Borrero (R)
112. ▌Alex Rizo (R)
113. ▌Vicki Lopez (R)
114. ▌Demi Busatta (R)
115. ▌Omar Blanco (R)
116. ▌Daniel Perez (R)
117. ▌Kevin Chambliss (D)
118. ▌Mike Redondo (R)
119. ▌Juan Carlos Porras (R)
120. ▌Jim Mooney (R)

* ▌Republican (87)
* ▌Democratic (32)

* Florida Legislature
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* Florida Senate

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