TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida lawmakers convened in Tallahassee on Tuesday to start a special session on redistricting, as well as Disney World’s right to self-govern in its Reedy Creek Improvement District.
WFLA’s political reporter Evan Donovan is in Tallahassee for the start of the special session. He’s providing live updates here throughout the day (times are eastern and latest updates are at the top):
8:00 p.m.
1:04 p.m.:
The Florida Senate is in session. A Senate special order group is planning to meet to vote on whether to put the bills on a special order calendar later in the day.
The Senate has recessed until 5 p.m.
12:45 p.m.:
The House has gaveled out.
12:20 p.m.:
The Florida House has gaveled in. House Speaker Chris Sprowls lays out the legislative road map for the next few days. Lawmakers will consider two bills to address the special district, House Bills 3C and 5C, and 1C to address the congressional map.
Sprowls said lawmakers will then vote on those bills on special order calendar on Wednesday.
“For those looking to book travel, I believe we will be able to head home at some point late Thursday afternoon or Thursday evening,” Sprowls said.
Sprowls also told legislators to expect more communication about the special session in May on property insurance.
“As you all know, it is extremely complicated, and impacts your districts in different ways,” Sprowls said. Rep. Trumbull has been appointed to head up that effort.
9:29 a.m.:
Governor Ron DeSantis expanded the call for Tuesday’s special session on redistricting to include considering “legislation relating to independent special districts.” DeSantis specifically called out the Reedy Creek Improvement District in his press conference, which is the home of Disney.
Fla. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, filed legislation that would remove the Disney special district.
6:00 a.m.:
Lawmakers will return to Tallahassee on Tuesday morning for a special session to draw Florida’s congressional district map.
Florida House and Senate maps were drawn, passed, and approved by the Florida Supreme Court during the regular legislative session, but the congressional map was vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The governor’s office submitted two maps during the legislative process, both of which completely reshaped District 5, a long district joining minority communities in Jacksonville and Tallahassee.
Lawmakers approved their own congressional map, which DeSantis said he would veto while they were discussing it. He later did, calling this special session to draw new maps.
Last week, his office again submitted a map after Republican leaders of the legislature said they were awaiting his guidance. Many Democrats in the legislature expressed anger at the move.
The governor’s office will present its map to the Senate committee on reapportionment at 1:30 p.m.
