9 Big Issues From the Recently Completed 2020 Legislative Session
Gov. Ron DeSantis has made a priority of spending $625 million a year on Everglades restoration and other water-related projects. The Legislature topped that amount, setting aside about $690 million for projects in various parts of the state.
March 20, 2020 at 03:54 PM
4 minute read
Florida lawmakers finished the 2020 legislative session by passing a $93.2 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
The Republican-dominated Legislature dealt with a wide range of issues during the session and grappled with uncertainty because of the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Here are 9 big issues from the session:
ABORTION: In a major victory for abortion opponents, lawmakers passed a bill that would require parental consent before minors could have abortions. Florida law already requires parents to be notified if their daughters plan to have abortions, but a consent requirement would be more far-reaching. A 1989 parental-consent law was ruled unconstitutional, but GOP lawmakers expressed confidence the new version would be upheld.
BUDGET: The House and Senate unanimously passed a $93.2 billion budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year. The spending plan includes $500 million to increase teacher pay, a top priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis. It also includes such things as a 3 percent across-the-board pay hike for state workers, $100 million for the Florida Forever conservation program and $50 million for the embattled Visit Florida tourism-marketing agency.
COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The House spearheaded an investigation during the session into the finances of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, including millions of dollars in compensation that went to the coalition's former chief executive officer, Tiffany Carr. After the revelations, lawmakers stripped the coalition of a contract to manage money for domestic-violence centers across the state. The probe started after reporting by the Miami Herald.
CORONAVIRUS: As the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, began spreading in Florida, it dominated the end of the legislative session. Budget negotiators scrambled to factor in the potential economic effects of the highly contagious virus, putting an additional $300 million in reserves and scaling back a proposed tax-cut package. A deep dip in tax revenues could ultimately force the House and Senate to revisit the budget and make cuts.
EDUCATION: Lawmakers agreed to spend $500 million to increase the salaries of public-school teachers, while also continuing a long-running effort to expand school vouchers. The House and Senate passed a bill that could add nearly 29,000 students next year to the Family Empowerment Scholarship voucher program. Meanwhile, lawmakers could not agree on a major school-safety bill after recommendations from a state commission and a grand jury.
ENVIRONMENT: DeSantis has made a priority of spending $625 million a year on Everglades restoration and other water-related projects. The Legislature topped that amount, setting aside about $690 million for projects in various parts of the state. Also, the Legislature decided to spend $100 million next year on the Florida Forever land-conservation program and approved a bill that will increase fines for environmental lawbreakers.
HEALTH CARE: House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, delivered on his promise to allow advanced practice registered nurses to practice independently of physicians. DeSantis quickly signed the bill, which Oliva contends will help expand access to care. DeSantis also signed another Oliva priority that will allow pharmacists to test and treat patients for the flu and strep throat. The measures drew oppositions from physician groups.
IMMIGRATION: Trying to carry out a 2018 campaign pledge, DeSantis pushed this year for requiring employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of new hires. But lawmakers refused to go as far as DeSantis wanted, passing a bill that would mandate all government employers use E-Verify, while making it optional for many businesses. Proposed E-Verify requirements have faced opposition from agriculture, construction and tourism industries.
INSURANCE: As incoming House speaker, Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, was a powerful figure during this year's session. Sprowls led a successful effort to pass a bill that, if signed by DeSantis, will block life insurers and long-term care insurers from using customers' genetic information in making decisions about policies, including pricing. Meanwhile, a renewed attempt to repeal the state's no-fault auto insurance system died.
Jim Saunders and Christine Sexton report for the News Service of Florida.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllPlaintiffs Attorneys Awarded $113K on $1 Judgment in Noise Ordinance Dispute
4 minute readAs Unpredictability Rises, Gov't Law Practices Expect Trump Bump. Especially in Florida
5 minute readTrending Stories
- 1Haynes and Boone Expands in New York With 7-Lawyer Seward & Kissel Fund Finance, Securitization Team
- 2Upstart Insurer That's Wowing Industry Hires AIG Legal Exec to Help Guide Global Expansion
- 3Connecticut Lawyers in Spotlight for Repping FBI Agents
- 4SEC Sued for Failing to Reveal Records Involving Simpson Thacher Attorney
- 5Lawsuit Accuses University of California of Racial Discrimination in Admissions
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250