TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Senate President says he’s in no rush to blow up the state’s tax code, gun laws or political map, but if any of the governor’s (or House’s) big priorities are going to happen next year, they’ll have to get past his chamber first.
After opening his post-Thanksgiving media availability with a smile, Sen. Albritton quickly pivoted to the weighty fights that will define the 2026 session. And on each of them, he made one message clear: the Senate will not be taking orders.
“We have three branches of government… I’ve got respect for the governor. I’ve got respect for the speaker,” Albritton said. “But the Senate holds an important place in all of this… I’ve worked very hard in my life to be a bridge builder, to be a consensus builder.”
PROPERTY TAXES: Relief, but not at the expense of local services
Albritton reaffirmed that property tax changes, potentially the biggest issue of the session, won’t be rushed or dictated by another branch.
“We are legitimately measuring,” he said, adding the Senate has reviewed both the House’s slate of proposals and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push for a sweeping homestead exemption.
“The Florida Senate is committed to addressing property taxes… but there are core services at the local level that we need to be thoughtful about.”
His caution extended to the governor’s suggestion that the state could “backfill” lost local revenue for rural counties.
“The opportunity to backfill lies in the Legislature,” he said, calling it “certainly a concern” that fiscally constrained counties could be forced to “argue for their existence every year.”
REDISTRICTING: No maps until spring — and perhaps not at all
On redistricting, Albritton confirmed there is “no ongoing work inside the Senate” to redraw congressional lines, that’s despite the House signaling it wants to move immediately.
He backed the governor’s call to wait for a major U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act: “It makes sense to me to wait… let’s just wait and see what happens in the court decision and then make a decision.”
And if the House passes maps during session? “We’ll see what happens,” he said, offering no commitment.
GUN LAWS: Open to discussion, but not leading the charge
Asked whether the Senate would revisit the post-Parkland gun reforms — including lowering the firearm purchase age from 21 to 18, Albritton avoided taking a definitive stance.
“I am not the king of the Florida Senate… it’s going to have to be up to the Florida Senate,” he said. “We’ll see where the Senate ends up on it.”
He did, however, make clear where he stands on gun-free zones:
“I am absolutely in support of the existing secure zones,” including courthouses, government buildings, and school/college campuses.
AN INDEPENDENT SENATE
Pushing back against speculation that the Senate will simply align with the governor, Albritton was direct: “If we happen to agree with the governor on something, that doesn’t mean anything other than, well, we happen to agree. If we disagree… that’s the way the system’s supposed to work.”
The legislative session is set to start January 13th, but there is a lot to do before that including the governor’s budget proposals. They’re expected any day now.
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