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Florida lawmakers back special session on property insurance

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, is shown during a committee hearing in March. Image: The Florida Channel
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, is shown during a committee hearing in March. Image: The Florida Channel

State Sen. Jeff Brandes  tweeted Monday that he has more than enough responses from lawmakers to get the ball rolling on a special session to address rising home insurance rates.

Brandes, a Republican from St. Petersburg, didn't wait for Gov. Ron DeSantis or Legislative leadership to line up lawmakers for a special session on property insurance.

https://twitter.com/JeffreyBrandes/status/1513562525681569795

Now, he says, the Secretary of State will poll lawmakers, and the special session it could start in about a month. DeSantis says he supports what Brandes is doing.

[C]learly, you know, we have dysfunctions in that market that could be, that could be fixed," the governor said Monday. "You've already seen different insurers go out. We need to have a viable market where people are able to get policies at an affordable rate. So I thank him for what he's doing. I think we will get there."

Some Democrats, like Orlando Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, criticize GOP leaders for focusing the 60-day regular session on  "invented problems" instead of issues like this one affecting families.

"They prioritized 'Don't Say Gay," a 15-week abortion ban and stopping wokeness as opposed to stopping soaring property insurance rates," Smith said during a press conference Monday.

Next week, lawmakers will hold a special session on congressional redistricting after DeSantis vetoed their map.

Joe Byrnes came to WMFE/WMFV from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.