By james art 
Orlando, Fla. – State lawmakers will head back to Tallahassee for a special session that begins Monday.
The session was called by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month.
While immigration is a significant item on the agenda, the governor also wants lawmakers to tackle hurricane relief, condo tax reform and the citizen ballot initiative process.
During a roundtable discussion in Jacksonville on Thursday, Desantis emphasized his commitment to issues related to immigration and election integrity.
“I said he was like a dog in the garbage the other day,” Desantis said. “There’s the chain, and as soon as somebody comes in that trash, you jump on it and you just don’t let go, right? You don’t let go. These issues, immigration and the election, I don’t let it go. I’m not going to wait six months for it to eventually stick. “
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When he spoke to reporters in Tallahassee on Jan. 13, Desantis discussed expected policy changes from the Trump administration, particularly on immigration and the southern border.
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez issued a joint memorandum hours later calling the special session premature.
The memo issued by Albritton and Perez said in part:
“On immigration in particular, we are strong supporters of President Trump and are ready to follow his lead.” We are not currently aware of any specific guidance provided to states regarding actions that state legislatures may take in support of pending federal action. It is completely irresponsible to get ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or bad faith government action could undermine or impede the success of President Trump’s upcoming efforts to end illegal immigration, close our borders, and protect the sovereignty of our nation. “
Also on the agenda for this session are rising condo fees stemming from a safety bill passed in 2022. in response to the 2021 Surfside condo collapse.
Desantis also discussed condo tax reform during his Jan. 13 press conference.
“One piece of legislation simply wasn’t going to solve all the problems,” Desantis said. “Now we’re seeing some issues that I think were unforeseen that have popped up, and we have a responsibility to act to make sure people can stay in their apartments.”
The governor is also asking lawmakers to consider immediate relief funding for hurricane-affected areas and agricultural needs. The memo from Albritton and Perez also said there are sufficient funds to pay for the state’s ongoing disaster response efforts.
He also mentions that ballot initiative issues and condo safety are complex topics that should be discussed during the regular session.
The special session is scheduled to begin Monday at 10:30 a.m.
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