The Florida House and Senate formally called the 2020 legislative session to order on Tuesday, January 14. For the next nine weeks, lawmakers will work to pass the 2020-2021 state budget and consider a wide variety of bills that will affect communities across Florida.
After addressing their respective chambers Tuesday morning, Senate President Bill Galvano and Speaker of the House Jose Oliva convened their members in a joint session to receive the governor for his State of the State address.
In his address, Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted legislative achievements in 2019, including taking steps to expand educational opportunities, protect our environment and natural resources, reform health care, invest in infrastructure, and bolster public safety. Describing these accomplishments as "bold beginnings", DeSantis stated, "We have much more to do."
To boost environmental protections, DeSantis called for $625 million in funding for water resource projects for three years, passage of comprehensive water quality legislation, and appropriate penalties for those who dump untreated wastewater into Florida's water bodies.
DeSantis also touted initiatives to advance opportunities in parental empowerment in K-12 education, including 2019 legislation that alleviated the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship waiting list of nearly 13,000 low-income families. In the coming days, the governor and commissioner of education will be unveiling a new approach to education that will focus on strong standards, high-quality curriculum, streamlined testing, and a renewed emphasis on American civics.
"Building a culture of life requires us to champion adoption," said DeSantis as he promoted efforts by the state to eliminate barriers for children awaiting their forever homes. Additionally, the governor hoped that a bill requiring parental consent prior to a minor's abortion would make its way to his desk for his signature this session.