Cultural war issues at the forefront as Florida’s legislative session set to start – ilmhunt Ilmhunt | Miami News, Weather, Sports

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (ilmhunt) – There are big issues to watch in Florida’s legislative session, including proposed bills that are already causing controversy.

“I love what we have coming up in this upcoming legislative session,” DeSantis said. “Buckle your seatbelt.”

After a strong showing in the 2022 elections, Republicans in the Florida Legislature now have super-majorities in both chambers and plan to flex that power as they work to get long-sought-after policies implemented.

A 60-day legislative session is already stacking up a slew of proposed bills.

Among those includes an expansion of school vouchers to all school-aged children in the state, a measure banning certain majors and minors, and barring certain types of teaching at colleges and universities, one that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, another that would expand the controversial bill known by critics as “Don’t Say Gay” to more higher grades and even a measure to make it easier to sue media outlets for defamation.

Democratic leaders want the legislative body to focus on the affordability of living in Florida and abandon culture war issues.

“The top three issues that we heard were property insurance rates, auto insurance rates, and then just general affordability,” said Democratic State Rep. Fentrice Driskell. “Those are the issues that Floridians want us to focus on, not all of this culture war business.”

They warn that if these bills become laws, if and when they are signed, they will be challenged in the courts.

“This Florida Legislature is creating some real challenges for rights and freedoms of our residents, and yes, I do hope that if these laws pass, that they’ll have a chance to be overturned by this Supreme Court,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Many critics said the push for these policies is so that DeSantis will have a strong platform when he announces a run for president.

In fact, one of the bills lawmakers are preparing to pass will allow him to run without having to resign the governorship.

The legislative session begins Tuesday.

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