Bills we're watching in the 2025 Florida legislative session
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Florida lawmakers reconvene on March 4 to kick off this year's legislative session, with bills filed to rename the Gulf in state statutes and to allow guns but not undocumented immigrants on college campuses.
Why it matters: There are more than 1,300 bills for the Legislature to wade through, each with the potential to reshape our daily lives.
- With the dust settled after last month's legislative revolt against Gov. Ron DeSantis, questions about the GOP's unity linger — though, for now, few bills seem likely to put it to the test.
Here are a few bills we're monitoring:
Gun regulation rollback: State Sen. Randy Fine (R-Melbourne Beach) filed bills to lift the state's age limit on firearm purchases and expand the areas where firearms can be carried, including on college campuses.
- State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), meanwhile, introduced legislation to ban the use of artificial intelligence to detect firearms in public areas; it would be a first-degree misdemeanor to do so.
Another immigration crackdown: Fine's bill (SB 244) would prohibit state universities with acceptance rates below 85% from accepting applications from or admitting undocumented students.
- State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) filed legislation to revoke the law licenses of undocumented immigrants on Nov. 1, 2028, unless proof of U.S. citizenship is provided on or before that date.
- State Sen. Jason Pizzo (D-Miami) filed a bill to expand E-Verify to all employers, with penalties of up to $10,000 in fines. State Rep. Berny Jacques (R-Seminole) filed a similar bill without the penalties.
Gulf of America: State Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) wants to change all references to the Gulf of Mexico in state statutes to the Gulf of America.
Insurer of first resort: A bipartisan bill (HB 13) aims to require Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to make windstorm coverage available to all homeowners statewide.
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.