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LEESBURG The 2021 legislative session started Tuesday.
Lawmakers gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday morning to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis State of the State Address. As is tradition, that kicked off the session.
For the next 60 days, the Capitol will be abuzz with lawmakers, aides, citizens and others as they debate and create new laws.
Here s what you need to know about the session:
What is it exactly?
In short, elected members of the Florida House of Representatives and Senate leave their districts for Tallahassee to work for 60 days to make new state laws.
How are new laws made?
It can be a long process or a short one. But typically bills have to clear their committees, which are made up of lawmakers focusing on specific topics, in both the Senate and the House to advance to votes on each floor. With a majority vote in both chambers, a bill goes to the governor s desk for approval.
At the state Capitol, the state s lawmakers gathered to kick off the 60-day session.
Among them was Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who represents all of Sumter County and parts of Lake and Marion Counties.
Before the session, the veteran lawmaker talked with the Daily Commercial about his priorities.
Here s what he told us:
His No. 1 priority is a familiar one
Baxley has again filed his Baby Box Bill.
The measure, Senate Bill 122, would direct the Florida Department of Health to approve the design of safe boxes for babies to be surrendered at hospitals, emergency service and fire stations.
The measure would also increase the age of infants who may be surrendered anonymously to 30 days old from 7 days old.
LEESBURG State Rep. Anthony Sabatini is heading into his third legislative session – and he says it may be his last.
Sabatini, who was just re-elected to the District 32 seat in November, talked with the Daily Commercial about his priorities this session, and added that he has aspirations for higher office.
Which one? He wouldn t say, but teased an upcoming announcement.
Meanwhile, Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, is preparing for the 60-day 2021 legislative session, which starts on Tuesday.
Here s what he told us:
He isn t asking for any money for local projects
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to put Florida in a tough place, financially speaking. To offset that, Sabatini, as well as Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, have skipped filing any local appropriations bills.
He wants to tackle local issues
The representative hopes to tackle a variety of issues that have been impacting the community, with a focus on local water quality and studies.
Specifically, Truenow has filed a bill that would allow for a study of Little Wekiva River, where sediment accumulation and water quality would be measured. He has also filed several bills for the 2021 legislative session that would work to improve drinking water systems for Groveland and Monteverde, as well as improving wastewater treatment facilities throughout the area.
Truenow is also a co-sponsor on a bill that would allow counties to create boards comprised of qualified volunteers to investigate situations of alleged retaliatory conduct by landlords against tenants - and to impose fines if necessary. This bill was inspired by Marie Wissler, a Leesburg woman who says her apartment complex retaliated against her after she reported issues to code enforcement.