On Tuesday, Florida’s new legislative leaders, House Speaker Danny Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton delivered strong messages on affordability and the behavior of insurance companies, marking a notable shift from previous GOP stances. The opening of the new legislative term in Florida featured surprising rhetoric, including direct criticism of private equity firms and calls to hold insurers accountable.
Tough Stance on Insurance Companies
Senate President Ben Albritton warned insurance companies that they must improve their claims-handling practices, emphasizing that he would not accept unjustified claim denials while rates continued to rise. This strong stance was met with a standing ovation. House Speaker Danny Perez also implied that past legislative reforms may have unduly favored the insurance industry and stressed that Floridians want insurance laws to reflect the needs of residents, not insurance companies.
Democratic lawmakers praised these statements, with Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo describing Albritton’s message as “fantastic.” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell echoed the sentiment, pointing out that Democrats have long called for tougher regulation of insurers.
Affordability and Housing Concerns
Affordability was highlighted as a key focus for the new leadership. Speaker Perez expressed concern that rising costs in Florida could push young talent out of the state. He criticized the trend of large corporations buying residential properties, which he said undermines homeownership opportunities for Floridians. A recent investigation found that private equity and other large firms own a significant number of homes in several Florida counties, with over 117,000 properties statewide.
Albritton, however, appeared less inclined to address this issue, suggesting it might fall under “free market” dynamics. Instead, he promoted a “rural renaissance”, seeking to revive Florida’s citrus industry and other agricultural interests.
No Specific Reforms Outlined Yet
Unlike previous legislative leaders who often laid out detailed plans at the start of their terms, Perez and Albritton did not outline any specific reforms. Perez stated his focus was on ensuring Florida remains affordable, and that proper studies would be conducted before acting on significant issues, such as insurance reform.
Perez also announced a revision of House rules to prevent corporate lobbyists from accessing the House floor, addressing what he termed a “loophole” that had previously allowed former legislators to influence lawmakers.
DeSantis’ Agenda and Special Sessions
Both leaders indicated that they were in no rush to hold a special session requested by Governor Ron DeSantis to address a condominium crisis. Instead, they plan to deal with it during the next regular legislative session in March. The leaders also dismissed action on two voter-approved amendments regarding recreational marijuana and abortion rights, and did not commit to investigating DeSantis’ use of taxpayer funds to campaign against these amendments.
While the tone was more populist than in previous years, the leadership still maintained alignment with key Republican values, balancing new priorities with continuity in their approach to the state’s governance.