TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are running out of time, and signs are mounting they could once again blow past their 60-day deadline as budget negotiations lag and major priorities stall.
Last year, the Legislature needed 105 days to finish its work— more than 40 days past its scheduled end. It came amid disputes over spending and tax cuts that briefly threatened a government shutdown.
Now, with weeks left in the 2026 session, similar warning signs are emerging. House Speaker Danny Perez, R-Miami, signaled uncertainty two weeks ago.
“What happens in the days ahead will decide if we will be here another three weeks or another three months,”Perez said in a speech to the chamber.
While every session has its own pace, so far, progress has been slow. Of nearly 1,900 bills filed this year, only 15 have reached the governor’s desk in the final two weeks. Budget negotiations are moving more slowly than expected, and marquee issues— including property tax reform, artificial intelligence regulation, gun law changes, and rural infrastructure— remain unresolved.
The House is also poised to approve new rules allowing members greater fundraising flexibility while in session, a move that suggests Republican leaders are preparing for the possibility lawmakers could remain in Tallahassee longer than planned with midterm elections approaching.
Former Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes said the lack of progress reflects a session defined more by distractions than major accomplishments.
“I think this is the year of the side quest. I think we've really lost the plot,” Brandes said.
Brandes added he expects budget talks to drag on well past the scheduled end of the session.
“They’re going to probably announce they're going to delay the budget. I don't expect the budget to be done before June, frankly,” he said. “Look, go back to the old Wendy's commercial. Where's the beef, right? That is this session.”
Republican leaders have remained publicly optimistic. Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, expressed confidence earlier this year that lawmakers would deliver results.
“At the end of the day, I'm looking forward to doing good things. Floridians will know that they're on our minds. I'm optimistic,” Albritton said.
But Democrats argue that the session has been derailed by Republican infighting, rather than focusing on the state’s challenges.
“This legislative session has been wasted on inter party fighting by the Republicans,” said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa. “Meanwhile, the people of Florida, I think, just want us to focus on the affordability crisis.”
Even as lawmakers work to finish their current agenda, they are already expected to return to Tallahassee in April for a special session on redistricting. Another special session could be in the works on property tax reform—though nothing official has been announced—adding another layer of uncertainty to an already unpredictable legislative year.
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