Sen. Don Gaetz reports that while most of his sponsored legislation is sailing through the Senate, a power struggle between House and Senate leadership threatens to kill bills on everything from school funding reform to utility rate protections.
Big Picture: At the halfway mark of the 2026 legislative session, the senator issued a detailed update to constituents outlining the status of more than a dozen bills — and the picture is one of a deeply divided Legislature where policy merits are taking a backseat to institutional friction.
- “Because of differences between House and Senate leadership, having little or nothing to do with individual bills or policies, most significant legislation has ground to a halt,” Gaetz wrote.
School Voucher Fix Passes Senate, House Silent
Among the bills caught in the crossfire is SB 318, which would fix what the senator describes as a major structural flaw in Florida’s school choice funding model. The current system bundles public school district appropriations with state payments for private school and homeschool students, a setup the senator says has shortchanged public schools by $100 million, left homeschool parents waiting months for reimbursements, and under funded schools serving students with disabilities. The state Auditor General has recommended the Senate’s proposed fix, and the Governor has signaled support — but the House has taken no action.
- This is a bill Northwest Florida residents should pay close attention to. When public schools lose $100 million because of an accounting structure nobody in the House wants to fix, local classrooms feel the impact. And when homeschool families can’t get reimbursed in a timely manner under a program the state created, that’s a broken promise.
Unanimous Senate Bills Wait on the House
Several other bills have cleared the Senate and now sit waiting on the House. SB 52, which would allow houses of worship to use volunteer armed security teams, passed the full Senate unanimously. SB 48, requiring local governments to permit Accessory Dwelling Units — granny flats and carriage houses — in residential neighborhoods as a workforce housing strategy, also passed the Senate without opposition. Both await House action.
- Headed for Passage: SB 50, establishing Veterans Courts in all judicial circuits, is being championed on the House side by Rep. Patt Maney and appears likely to pass both chambers. SB 1004, a consumer protection measure for dog and cat purchasers requiring full disclosure of pets’ medical conditions and financing terms, also appears headed toward passage in both chambers.
- Still in Play: Still working through the process are SB 92, which would protect whistleblowers who report ethical violations by public officers — scheduled for a Senate Rules Committee hearing next week — and SB 1708, which would allow licensed veterinarians from other states to relocate and practice in Florida to address a statewide shortage. SB 896 would establish new safety standards on college campuses, including assailant response plans, security risk assessments, threat management protocols, and requirements for locked classrooms and rooftops.
Utility and Insurance Bills Die Quietly
Not every bill survived. Legislation to limit residential and commercial utility rate increases died in the Senate after passing just one committee. A bill targeting property insurance companies that hide profits while requesting state-approved rate increases was never heard before any committee in either chamber — a telling silence on an issue that hits Florida homeowners squarely in the wallet.
- The insurance bill’s quiet death deserves scrutiny. Property insurance costs remain one of the most pressing financial burdens facing Florida families, and a proposal to require basic profit transparency from companies seeking rate hikes couldn’t even get a committee hearing. That’s not a policy disagreement — that’s avoidance.
What Happens Now?
With the session’s second half underway, the question is whether House and Senate leadership can resolve their differences before good legislation dies for no reason other than institutional politics.
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