Dear Friends,
Thankful for a wonderful time spent with family and friends over the holiday season and for new opportunities that arise as we start 2023.
In the Florida Senate, we are already hard at work on behalf of Florida’s citizens. This month and the month of February, the legislature will hold six weeks of committee meetings, in advance of the 2023 Legislative Session, which will begin March 7. Just before Christmas, the legislature convened a special session to address the property insurance crisis, tax relief, and toll fees. Three bills were passed and have made their way to the Governor’s desk. SB 2A, SB 4A, and SB 6A.
SB 2A increases insurer transparency to improve the marketplace for consumers, will reduce frivolous litigation that drives up costs, expedites the claim review process to verify that insurers maintain consistent communication with policyholders, stabilizes state-run Citizens Property Insurance to reduce taxpayer liability, and increases access to reinsurance to stabilize the insurance marketplace. Specifically, this bill eliminated assignment of benefits (AOB) for property insurance, the reinstatement of the offer of judgement process, and eliminated one-way attorney fees for property insurance claims. These key legal reforms will reduce the amount of cost inflating frivolous lawsuits that plague our state.
SB 4A provides necessary relief to Floridians impacted by the historic hurricanes that made landfall on Florida this fall. This bill provides tax relief to owners of destroyed or uninhabitable homes, assists local government in the acquisition of FEMA Grants, allocates funding to assist displaced Floridians, and provides funds to reconstruct impacted beaches and water infrastructure. Overall investment: $750 million in tax relief and funding for critical infrastructure.
SB 6A provides a 50% credit to Floridians who utilize Florida’s turnpike system and engage in 35+ transactions each month. This legislation helps to further alleviate financial burdens placed on hardworking Floridians who are required to commute daily or travel for work or school. With the potential to save Floridians $500 million for this upcoming year, this is one more step the Florida Senate can take to ensure Floridians keep more of their hard-earned money.
Thank you for taking the time to read this report and staying engaged in your government. Our work continues and we press on.
Onward & Upward,
Senator Dennis Baxley
