DeSantis Eyes Special Sessions to Salvage Legislative Priorities After Budget Impasse

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers adjourned their 2026 regular session on March 13 without passing a state budget, setting the stage for a series of special sessions to address a $1.4 billion spending gap, congressional redistricting, and potentially other unresolved issues. Despite the setbacks, Gov. Ron DeSantis remains committed to enacting key policy objectives before leaving office in January 2027, signaling a willingness to leverage upcoming special sessions to push his agenda.

Budget Stalemate Forces Special Session

The failure to agree on a state budget is a significant hurdle, requiring House Speaker Daniel Perez (R-Miami) and Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula) to schedule a budget-focused special session for mid-April . With a July 1 deadline looming to avoid a partial government shutdown, pressure is mounting on Tallahassee to reconcile the fiscal impasse between the two chambers’ spending priorities.

‘Medical Freedom’ Bill Stalls in House

One of DeSantis’s key priorities, a measure aimed at expanding “medical freedom” related to vaccines, faced significant resistance in the House. While the Senate passed its version of the bill (SB 1756) by a vote of 23-15, the House effectively blocked its consideration during the final two weeks of the session .

Both the House and Senate bills shared similar provisions, including allowing the sale of ivermectin by Florida pharmacists, a permanent ban on mandates for mRNA-based vaccines, and establishing a non-medical exemption from immunization requirements for school children based on parental conscience. The House bill also sought to compel healthcare providers to treat unvaccinated patients and potentially discipline those who refused.

DeSantis Remains Optimistic, Points to Special Sessions

Despite the House’s resistance, DeSantis expressed confidence that his priorities could still be achieved through special sessions. “There’s more than one way to skin the cat on some of this stuff,” DeSantis said, adding, “I’m committed to seeing the policies ultimately prevail. And we’ll look to see what options that we have.”

He criticized the House for the demise of his vaccine proposal, while acknowledging the Senate’s willingness to engage on the issue. DeSantis also pointed to a potential special session on property taxes as another opportunity to advance his agenda.

Congressional Redistricting and Budget Discussions Loom

In addition to the budget, lawmakers have already scheduled a late-April special session to consider potential congressional redistricting . Senate President Ben Albritton suggested that unresolved policy issues, including the “medical freedom” bill, could be revisited during the budget special session, potentially through conforming bills or proviso language.

Measles Cases on the Rise

The debate over vaccine exemptions comes as Florida experiences an increase in measles cases. As of March 7, the state had reported 132 cases, with outbreaks confirmed in 14 counties, including Alachua, Broward, Collier, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, and St Johns. The majority of cases (76%) are among individuals aged 15-24 .

Looking Ahead

With the regular session concluded, Florida’s political landscape now shifts to the upcoming special sessions. DeSantis’s ability to navigate the remaining legislative hurdles and secure passage of his priorities will depend on his ability to forge compromises and rally support from both chambers of the Legislature before his term ends.