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Florida lawmakers are set to return to Tallahassee for a special session on congressional redistricting from April 20–24. During this time they are expected to take on an unprecedented mid-decade effort to redraw maps outside of the normal redistricting cycle. Redistricting is typically done once every ten years following the census. Attempting to revisit maps in the middle of the decade raises serious concerns about fairness, transparency, and whether this process is being d

Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier are calling for the impeachment of Leon County Circuit Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper, a Black woman, after she allowed a convicted sex offender to remain free on bond before sentencing. The individual later killed his 5-year-old stepdaughter, leading to the passage of “Missy’s Law,” which now requires certain offenders to be held until sentencing. However, it remains unclear whether the judge had full information about th

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 991, Voter Suppression Bill. Equal Ground’s Executive Director has issued the following statement.  “We are highly disappointed, though not surprised, that Governor DeSantis has signed legislation that would block voting rights of Floridians.  We had hoped he would use his final Legislative session as Gov, to prioritize protecting democracy instead of restricting it. While we worked to delay implementation until 2027, we take no

March 31, 2026 In response to Donald Trump signing a new executive order aimed at reshaping federal elections, including requiring citizenship verification systems and increasing federal oversight of voter eligibility, Equal Ground Executive Director, Genesis Robinson strongly opposes this latest attempt to interfere with access to the ballot. The order directs federal agencies to compile lists of verified U.S. citizens and implement new controls over mail voting, raising ser

Because the Florida Legislature failed to fulfill its constitutional duty to pass a state budget before the end of the regular legislative session, lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee for a special session in mid-April. During this special session, legislators are expected to take action on the state budget and revisit the issue of property taxes. Property tax reform was a major priority for Governor DeSantis this session. While the Florida House advanced several

This week the Florida Regular Legislative Session came to a close without lawmakers passing a budget for the second year in a row. The one constitutionally required job during the 60-day session is to pass a budget, yet they have failed to reconcile a $1.4 billion gap between the chambers proposed plans. The final days of session were filled with debate over voting rights and diversity, equity and inclusion. With over 1,900 bills filed, only 167 have passed both the House and

For the second year in a row, the Florida Legislature failed to complete its most basic constitutional responsibility: passing a state budget on time. Instead of demonstrating leadership and working toward consensus, lawmakers left Tallahassee in gridlock and dysfunction. Floridians deserve solutions and cooperation, not chaos and political infighting. To politicians in Tallahassee, the numbers in a budget may look like line items on a spreadsheet. But for the people of this

HB 991 would force eligible voters to clear new bureaucratic hurdles simply to remain registered and have their ballots counted. By relying on flawed government databases, the state risks flagging lawful voters and requiring them to produce additional documentation just to prove what they have already proven, that they are eligible to vote. Additionally, the bill also narrows the types of identification voters can use at the polls by eliminating commonly used forms of ID. Cha

For generations, Black Floridians have fought to gain fair access to opportunity and HB 1001 and SB 1134 is an attack on that hard-won progress. Across Florida, local governments have used diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to address real challenges facing their communities. Cities and counties have created minority business contracting programs to ensure small businesses have access to public contracts, funded  initiatives to address public health & education disp

As Week 8 of the legislative session closes, the House and Senate have yet to reach an agreement on the state budget, although the 2026 Regular Legislative session is scheduled to end on March 13. Under Florida’s legislative rules, the House and Senate are supposed to finalize their budget frameworks before the “cooling-off period”, which allows time for final negotiations and for legislators to review the spending plan before the session ends.  This year's session is similar

Rather than honor the legacy of those who fought to expand freedom and opportunity, the Florida Legislature used Black History Month to pass HB 33 and HB 125, elevating Charlie Kirk,  a controversial figure known for spreading divisive rhetoric and racist falsehoods about Black Americans. It is deeply troubling that during a month dedicated to celebrating the contributions and resilience of Black Americans, the Florida Legislature chose to enshrine a figure whose legacy is bu

The Florida House’s passage of HB 991 represents yet another dangerous escalation in efforts to restrict access to the ballot in our state. This bill creates new documentary proof of citizenship requirements, not because there is evidence of widespread non-citizen voting, but because Tallahassee politicians would rather chase a manufactured crisis than address the real and pressing issues facing Floridians every day. Non-citizen voting is already illegal under both state and

Here’s What’s Wrong: “…I'm asking you to approve the Save America Act to stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections.” - Donald Trump Full speech transcript can be found here Here’s what you should know: It’s already illegal for non-citizens to cast a ballot in federal elections, and states have secure systems in place to prevent noncitizens from voting. Those who violate the law already face severe penalties.  Ele

This week, we saw meaningful movement on legislation that directly impacts our communities. The House passed HJR 203, a proposal that would phase out certain non-school property taxes on homestead property over the next decade, beginning January 2027. The proposal has been sent to the Senate for a vote. If ultimately approved by lawmakers and voters, the proposal could significantly reshape Florida’s property tax structure by cutting public funding in other city service areas

This past Saturday February 21, marked what would have been the 86th birthday of the great Congressman John Lewis, one of the most fearless warriors for voting rights in American history. Born to Alabama sharecroppers in 1940, Lewis was inspired as a boy by the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He became chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at 23 years old, was a keynote speaker at the 1963 March on Washington, led the 1964 Freedom Summer voter registr

What would the proposal do? Phase Out Non- School Property Taxes on Homesteads  Gradually eliminate non-school property taxes on homesteaded primary residences by increasing the homestead exemption by $100,000 per year over a decade; eventually exempting the full assessed value from county, city, and special district taxes (but not school district taxes).  An amendment adopted on the floor accelerated this phase-out so that the tax would immediately go away once the amendment

As we reflect on Black history and the people whose courage moved this nation closer to its ideals, we also pause to honor a life that helped shape those chapters in real time. Rev. Jesse Jackson was a drum major for justice who changed what millions of people believed was possible. He taught us that dignity had to move beyond feeling and into participation. When he declared “I am somebody,” that wasn’t ego, he was turning affirmation into participation. Demanding we know our

This week marks the mid-point of the annual Legislative Session, which traditionally signals the commencement of the most critical and intensive phase of the legislative calendar, the release of budget proposals from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This year, the two chambers came in with notably different numbers. The Senate proposed $115 billion in spending, while the House came in at just under $113.6 billion, a difference of more than $1 billion. Both pr

House Proposal $113.58 billion (↓$1B from current) Senate Proposal $115 billion (↑$1.4B above House) Gov. DeSantis’  Request $117.4B  Budget Gap $1.4B difference  Governor DeSantis’ $117.4 billion FY 2026–27 budget is $2.2 billion higher than the current year. Education:  $30.6 billion for K–12, including $1.56 billion for teacher/staff pay, raising per-student funding by $279 to $9,406. Public Safety & Workforce:  5% raises for state law enforcement, expanded prison staffi

At 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, February 14, 2026, a partial government shutdown began affecting the Department of Homeland Security. Before adjourning for a scheduled one-week recess on Thursday, February 12, Congress failed to reach a funding agreement, leaving DHS operating with essential staff. The House is on 48-hour notice and the Senate on 24-hour notice to return if a deal is reached, but for now, Washington is out of town with the job unfinished. This is the third shut