Florida's legislative session to tackle Medicaid, AI in political ads
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Lawmakers will reconvene at the Florida Capitol on Jan. 9 to kick off this year's legislative session, aiming to tackle everything from artificial intelligence to the harassment of election workers.
Why it matters: There are over a thousand bills for the Legislature to wade through, each with the potential to reshape our daily lives.
- With Republicans in the driver's seat and Gov. Ron DeSantis away on the campaign trail, it is anyone's guess whether this year's session will mirror 2023's headline-grabbing legislative efforts.
Here are a few bills we're monitoring:
⚕️ Medicaid buy-in program: Lawmakers in both chambers of the Legislature filed bills to establish a buy-in program that would provide Medicaid coverage options for working people with disabilities whose income would otherwise make them ineligible for such plans.
💵 Acceptance of cash payment: State Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) and State Rep. Joel Rudman (R-Navarre) introduced bills to require certain businesses to accept cash, bucking a trend of companies in Florida exclusively accepting credit or debit payments.
🤖 Regulating AI in political ads: Legislation filed in the Florida House and Senate would require some political advertisements that contain images, video, audio or text generated by artificial intelligence to inform viewers of their use.
🏳️🌈 Gender identity employment practices: State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin (R-Belleview) filed a bill banning state agencies from requiring employees to use someone's preferred gender pronouns. It also bars some nonprofits from requiring workplace training on gender identity.
Employment of minors: A bill aims to remove limits on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds may work and revises a restriction on how many hours a minor can work without a meal break to only apply to children 15 or younger.
How to watch: Looking to keep up with the Legislature? You can watch the House, Senate and committee hearings online at the Florida Channel.
- Plus, you can visit www.flsenate.gov to track bills and receive email alerts.