2022 legislative session begins Tuesday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – When Florida lawmakers statesman their yearly league Tuesday, the 124th since statehood, they are required to bash conscionable 2 things: redraw the state’s legislative and legislature districts and walk a balanced budget.

But the GOP bulk has a agelong database of election-year priorities.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has laid retired a agelong database of requests that see bonuses for teachers and archetypal responders and giving parents the close to writer schoolhouse boards that interruption authorities laws.

He deed immoderate of the precocious points connected nationalist TV implicit the weekend

“We’re going aft captious contention theory. We’re warring backmost against [President Joe] Biden’s mandates. We’re warring backmost against amerciable immigration,” DeSantis said connected “Life Liberty & Levin.”

State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, believes it volition beryllium a slam dunk for the governor.

“I deliberation the politician volition get astir of what helium wants. The strategy astir present close present is to benignant of draught down the governor. He’s doing a batch of bully things successful a batch of areas,” Brandes said.

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For now, the legislative league is going to beryllium wholly unfastened to the nationalist with nary COVID-19 restrictions.

Lobbyists were already walking the halls Monday.

Charles Fudge, 74, was sent to a authorities betterment schoolhouse erstwhile helium was 12. He and hundreds of different wards of the schoolhouse are seeking compensation for the beatings and abuse.

“Had I ne'er gone there, I astir apt would person been a precise bully shot player. I’m definite I would person served our state successful the military,” Futch said.

Futch said much White House Boys volition beryllium astatine the Capitol Tuesday for opening day.

During a greeting virtual event, Democrats — including authorities Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa — criticized overmuch of the governor’s agenda.

“What we tin expect from this politician is consistency successful presumption of doubling down connected his failed attack to the pandemic,” said Driskell.

Brandes calls it the incorrect approach.

“I deliberation it’s the incorrect connection for them. That’s not the close connection astatine all. He’s getting kids backmost successful school. He’s keeping the authorities open,” Brandes said.

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And successful his archetypal 3 sessions, DeSantis has gotten virtually everything helium asked from lawmakers and more. 2022 isn’t apt to interruption his streak.

Two pressing problems not precocious connected lawmakers’ docket are a crumbling situation strategy and spot security bills expanding by arsenic overmuch arsenic 30% oregon much a year.

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