Democratic lawmakers have a super-minority in the Florida Capitol, meaning they have a lot less power than Republicans.
But, with the 2026 legislative session starting in a couple of weeks, they hope their affordability agenda takes hold.
"The ideas in our affordability agenda would lower the cost of living, put money back in the pockets of working families and seniors who need it most, and give young people a real chance at some day owning a home and help us grow Florida into the future," said Florida House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa.
"Right now, it's too expensive for too many Floridians to even stay in Florida," she continued.
Democrats are pushing three big bills, focused on property insurance, home affordability and state spending practices.
Property insurance
One proposal, HB 319/SB 366 is aimed at reducing property insurance costs.
It says the commissioner of insurance regulation, who is currently Michael Yaworsky, must "initiate" a compact with other states where they establish a property insurance risk pool for natural disasters, reducing the onus on an individual state.
The state "shall, as soon as feasible, enter into the compact with at least 14 other member states," the bill reads.
State spending
Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state conservative leaders have touted the state's "DOGE" efforts, especially as they accuse various local governments of wasteful spending.
Democrats, though, accuse the state government of wasteful spending, pointing to things like the so-called Alligator Alcatraz detention center and the conservative overhaul of New College of Florida, which far outspends other state universities.
"It's time that we DOGE our state and find out where our state monies are going and make sure that they are being properly spent," said Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman of Delray Beach.
Thus, Democrats' "government waste and misconduct" legislation, HB 687/SB 780.
The proposal would require a report on state spending, including for the Everglades detention center and DeSantis' decision to relocate migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard.
The report would also look into the Hope Florida controversy, state-sponsored advertisements opposing 2024 constitutional amendments on abortion and marijuana, and other areas that have generated debate in the state.
It directs the recovery of funds found to have been misspent.
It also creates the "Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program," where low- or moderate-income Floridians get tax relief "funded exclusively with moneys identified as being at risk of being lost to waste or recovered after being lost to waste."
Home affordability
Another measure, HB 675/SB 756, is aimed at reducing the costs of homes.
The bill requires affordable rental units to stay affordable for 50 years instead of 30 in exchange for zoning benefits created under 2023's Live Local Act.
It tightens the rules so affordable housing incentives are actually steered toward building affordable units.
It also cuts down on the amount some first-time home buyers have to pay, getting rid of their documentary stamp taxes, which are state fees paid when closing on a property.
Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie of Indian Rocks Beach has sponsored similar legislation, SB 752, that takes on the tax for first-time home buyers.
What Republicans want
The priorities of legislative Republicans will be made more clear when the House speaker and Senate president give their opening speeches on Jan. 13, the first day of session.
But the session is still liable to take significant priority shifts. House Speaker Daniel Perez, for example, waited weeks into the 2025 session to announce he wanted to reduce the sales tax.
Still, legislative leadership has made clear that property tax cuts and changes to Florida's congressional map are on the table in the coming months, despite Democratic dissent.
Perez is also pitching health care changes and drug price cuts. Senate President Ben Albritton is again pushing a "rural renaissance" bill boosting investment in rural counties, which failed to pass in the previous session.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
