Florida lawmakers will convene on Jan. 13 for the 2026 Legislative Session to consider legislation and fulfill the constitutional requirement to pass a balanced state budget. More than 1,200 bills and resolutions have been filed for the 60-day session, reflecting a broad and active policy landscape.
This GT Alert discusses 10 issue areas to watch, based on legislation filed to date for the 2026 session, including proposed constitutional amendments and statutory proposals related to property taxes, land use, artificial intelligence, insurance, housing, and health care workforce programs.
These proposals will be considered throughout the legislative session, which concludes on March 13.
1. Property Taxes
a. HJR 201 Elimination of Non-School Property Tax for Homesteads by Rep. Steele
This bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to exempt homestead property from all ad valorem taxation other than school district levies and prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
b. HJR 203 Phased Out Elimination of Non-School Property Tax for Homesteads by Rep. Miller
This bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the exemption for homestead property from all ad valorem taxation, other than school district levies annually for 10 years by a certain amount, to make homestead property exempt from all ad valorem taxation other than school district levies beginning in a specified year, and to prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
c. HJR 205 Elimination of Non-School Property Tax for Homesteads for Persons Age 65 or Older by Rep. Porras
The bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to exempt homestead property from all levies other than school district levies for persons who have attained age 65 and prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
d. HJR 207 Assessed Home Value Homestead Exemption of Non-School Property Tax by Rep. Abbott
The bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to add a homestead exemption for levies other than school levies equal to 25% of the remaining assessed value after applying existing exemptions, provide construction, and prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
e. HJR 209 Property Insurance Relief Homestead Exemption Non-School Property Tax by Rep. Busatta
The bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to increase by $200,000 the exemption for homestead property from all ad valorem taxation other than school district levies for homestead properties that have property insurance and to prohibit local governments from reducing total funding for first responders.
f. HJR 211 Accrued Save-Our-Homes Property Tax Benefit for Non-School Property Tax by Rep. Overdorf
The bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the maximum value of the accrued Save-Our-Homes benefit, which may be transferred to a new homestead for all levies other than school district levies and prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
g. HJR 213 Modification of Limitations on Property Assessment Increases by Rep. Griffitts
The bill proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to modify limitations on assessment increases for both homestead and non-homestead property and prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement.
h. HB 215 Ad Valorem Taxation by Rep. Albert
This bill revises Save-Our-Homes portability benefits available to married persons establishing joint homestead; prohibits increase in prior year’s adopted millage rate from going into effect unless approved by specified vote; authorizes DOR to adopt emergency rules; and provides for future expiration.
2. SB 482 Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights by Sen. Leek
This bill prohibits a governmental entity from extending or renewing a contract with specified entities; creates the “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights”; provides the rights of Floridians relating to the use of artificial intelligence; requires companion chatbot platforms to prohibit a minor from creating new or maintaining existing accounts unless the minor’s parent or guardian consents; and prohibits artificial intelligence technology companies from selling or disclosing the personal information of users unless the information is deidentified data.
3. HB 697 Drug Prices and Coverage by Rep. Kincart Jonsson
The bill requires prescription drug manufacturer permitholders to annually report to AHCA international drug price data; requires agency to contract with entity to designate reference price source countries and analyze certain data; requires agency to publish annually prescription drug and product reference prices; requires pharmacies to charge cash-paying customers up to reference prices for prescribed drugs and products; requires contracts between pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and pharmacy benefits plans and programs to prohibit PBMs from offering and implementing certain formularies; requires health insurers, Medicaid managed care plans, state group insurance programs and HMOs to provide reimbursement for covered prescription drugs and products up to reference prices; requires savings from such reimbursement limits to be used for certain purposes; and limits changes that health insurance policies and health maintenance contracts can make relating to prescription drug formularies.
4. HB 693 Health and Human Services by Rep. Redondo
The bill revises health care provisions relating to emergency medical technicians and paramedics; enacts Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact; repeals provisions relating to Health Facility & Services Development Act; revises provisions relating to certificates-of-need, the Kidcare program, and Medicaid; requires DCF to develop and implement a food assistance payment accuracy improvement plan; revises significant investigation information DOH is required to report relating to certain physician assistants, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics; enacts Physician Assistant Licensure Compact; revises practice requirements for autonomous advanced practice registered nurse; revises remediable and delegable duties of dentist; and requires certain health insurers to apply payments for services provided by nonpreferred providers toward insureds’ deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
5. SB 208 Land Use and Development Regulations by Sen. McClain
The bill prohibits local land development regulations from requiring the denial of, or conditioning or delaying the approval of, residential development on the basis of a lack of compatibility under certain circumstances; revises the circumstances under which land development regulations may be applied to a single-family or two-family dwelling; prohibits local land development regulations from conditioning the approval of an application for certain residential development on the payment of certain fees, charges, or exactions; and requires that a fee or charge imposed by a local government in connection with the review, processing, or inspection of a residential development application meet certain requirements.
6. HB 145 Suits Against the Government by Rep. McFarland
The bill increases statutory limits on liability for tort claims against the state, its agencies, and subdivisions; authorizes subdivision of state to settle claim in excess of statutory limit without legislative action regardless of insurance coverage limits; prohibits insurance policy from conditioning benefits on enactment of claim bill; specifies that limitations in effect on date claim accrues apply to that claim; revises period within which certain claims must be presented; revises exceptions relating to instituting tort claims against state or agencies or subdivisions; revises period after which failure of certain entities to make final disposition of claim shall be deemed final denial of claim for certain purposes; and revises statute of limitations for tort claims against the state, its agencies, or subdivisions and exceptions thereto.
7. SB 522 Motor Vehicle Insurance by Sen. Grall
The bill repeals provisions that comprise the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law; revises garage liability insurance requirements for recreational vehicle dealer license applicants; revises minimum liability coverage requirements for motor vehicle owners or operators; revises requirements for motor vehicle liability policies relating to coverage, and exclusion from coverage, for certain drivers and vehicles; revises coverages that may provide for a reduction in motor vehicle insurance policy premium charges under certain circumstances; revises the legal liability of an uninsured motorist coverage insurer; and provides a prohibition, requirements, applicability, and construction relating to motor vehicle insurance policies as of a certain date.
8. SB 48 Housing by Sen. Gaetz
The bill authorizes a landlord to accept reusable tenant screening reports and require a specified statement; defines the term “primary dwelling unit”; requires, rather than authorizes, local governments to adopt, by a specified date, an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units in certain areas; and requires the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to evaluate the efficacy of using mezzanine finance and the potential of tiny homes for specified purposes.
9. SB 152 Medicaid Provider Networks by Sen. Harrell
The bill requires Medicaid managed care plans and providers to negotiate mutually acceptable rates, methods, and terms of payment for purposes of Medicaid reimbursements; requires plans to pay dentists at certain rates; and specifies additional requirements for the provider network contracts under the statewide managed care program.
10. SB 1278 Employment Eligibility by Sen. Martin
The bill requires that all private employers, rather than only those employing more than a specified number of employees, use the E-Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility beginning on a specified date.