Newsletter: 2026 Legislative Session Update: Week 5

The fourth week of the 2026 Legislative Regular Session was a busy committee week, where legislators heard different opinions and discussions on a wide range of issues. One of EG's priority bills, SB 1134, Official Actions of Local Governments, an anti-DEI bill that had over 20 public testimonies in opposition, still advanced to the next committee with a favorable vote of 6 yeas and 2 nays. HB 641, which prohibits requiring employees or contractors to use pronouns or attend gender ideology training in the workplace, was also heard in the House Government Operations subcommittee. 

SB 460, Special Elections bill to require a firm deadline on when the Governor must call Special Elections for a vacant seat, cleared the Senate Ethics and Elections committee with a 8 to 0 vote. SB 694, Compensation of the descendants of Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard and Ernest Thomas - Groveland Four bill advanced through its second committee Senate Appropriations on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, gaining bipartisan support from additional co-introducers, including the committee chair Senator Nick DiCeglie, Don Gaetz, Tom Leek, Debbie Mayfield, Ralph Massullo, and Corey Simon. 

This week, we can expect the House and Senate to release their budget proposals, Senate Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper announced on X that the budget should be rolled out by Thursday, the 12th, instead of the fourth week. Stay engaged with us through this process and invite others by sharing this newsletter. 

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