Kylee Anzueto, Government Affairs Advisor, GrayRobinson - February 2026
Following the conclusion of committee weeks in mid-December, lawmakers went home for the holidays and returned for the legislative session on January 13. During the final round of committee meetings, legislators addressed a wide-ranging agenda that included major health care reform proposals, expansive education regulations, developing policy framework for data centers and preliminary discussions on redistricting. The breadth and intensity of these discussions underscore the likelihood of a highly active session ahead, particularly as tensions rise and power dynamics continue to evolve between the House, Senate and Governor.
Governor Ron DeSantis released his final budget recommendation to the Legislature, outlining a $117 billion spending plan for Florida’s 2026-2027 fiscal year. The proposal, roughly $2.2 billion higher than the current budget, includes pay raises for teachers and state law enforcement officers and allocates funding to support small counties that could face revenue
shortfalls if voters approve statewide property tax cuts next year.
The budget proposes an increase of nearly $300 in per-student K-12 funding and commits approximately $201 million toward teacher salary increases, though the state’s teachers’ union contends the funding does not sufficiently address rising living costs. Additional investments include increased funding for the state prison system; a five percent pay raise for law enforcement officers and a two percent across-the-board raise for other state employees.
Notably, the governor recommends setting aside $300 million to fully reimburse Florida’s 32 “fiscally constrained” counties for potential revenue losses stemming from property tax reductions. While the proposal serves as a starting point for negotiations, lawmakers are free to revise or reject individual components as they craft the final budget. DeSantis will retain line-item veto authority over the final spending plan.
The House Ways & Means Committee voted 10 to 5 to advance a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at providing significant property tax relief to homeowners, despite warnings from Democrats and local government advocates that the measure could result in substantial budget shortfalls for local communities.
The joint resolution (HJR 209), sponsored by Representative Demi Busatta, is a top priority for House leadership and is now poised for a floor vote. If approved by lawmakers, the measure would appear on the November general election ballot and would create a new homestead exemption shielding $200,000 of a home’s assessed value from non-school property taxes, provided the property is insured.
The committee also adopted an amendment designed to protect funding for firefighters and first responders from budget cuts should property tax revenues decline. Under the amendment, those budgets would be required to remain at either 2025-2026 or 2026-2027 levels, whichever is higher. Some Democrats raised questions about whether 911 dispatchers would be included but Busatta said those details would be addressed later through implementing language if voters approve the amendment.
Busatta defended the proposal by arguing that some local governments “continue to fund their political wants on the backs of hardworking Floridians,” citing an unnamed rural county where the administrator earns $177,000 annually. Critics, including local government organizations, warned the amendment could severely undermine essential services. Florida
League of Cities described the potential loss of homestead taxable value as catastrophic, noting that Port St. Lucie could lose up to 80 percent of its homestead tax base, while DeLand could see losses as high as 85 percent. Opponents also cautioned that any short-term tax relief could be offset by sharply increased fees as local governments struggle to maintain operations and critical services.
The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously advanced a sweeping “Rural Renaissance” package aimed at expanding access to health care, education, transportation and economic development in rural communities. The bill (SB 250), sponsored by Senator Corey Simon, is a top priority for Senate President Ben Albritton and is expected to reach the Senate floor during the first week of the 2026 regular legislative session.
The Senate passed a similar measure last year, though it ultimately stalled in the House. The current proposal would establish an Office of Rural Prosperity within the Department of Commerce, create incentives to attract physicians and other health care providers to underserved areas and dedicate funding to repair and modernize rural roadways. It would also
prioritize rural communities for certain land-planning technical assistance grants, revise the criteria for counties to be deemed “fiscally constrained” and allocate millions toward upgrading farm-to-market roads.
The roughly $218 million package would further establish a community block grant program to provide flexible funding to rural areas, among other initiatives. A related, though not identical, House companion bill (HB 723) was filed December 10 by Representative Shane Abbott.
Kylee Anzueto, GrayRobinson, is a skilled Government Affairs Advisor specializing in policy and appropriations at both the Florida Capitol and local levels. Based in Orlando, she offers clients strategic insights, detailed summaries of state and local hearings and tailored government affairs updates and reports. Kylee works diligently to strengthen relationships with elected officials across the state and represents GrayRobinson at key board meetings. She also delivers educational briefings to select groups, including college students pursuing careers in the legislative field.