TALLAHASEE, Fla. – Florida lawmakers will return to Tallahassee to kick off the 2024 legislative session to discuss some hot-button topics. Including one bill that would lower the minimum age to buy rifles and other long guns.
Another bill that will be discussed aims to protect historic monuments. It was filed the day after the city of Jacksonville took down the Confederate monument in Springfield Park.
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Bills filed in both the House and Senate call for an increase in the minimum base pay for full-time classroom teachers and certain pre-kindergarten teachers. It would be known as the “Save our Teachers Act.”
Another bill would address Florida’s homeowner’s insurance crisis. It would stop insurance companies from putting a coverage limit on a house that would include the value of the land the house sits on. It would also require companies to offer policies that cover only the unpaid principal on a mortgage.
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There is also one that centers around cannabis. If a person is caught with possession of 20 grams or less, this bill calls for lowering the criminal penalties for a first, second, or third violation.
Another bill caters to people who have pets. It would open the door for licensed veterinarians to provide services over Telehealth.
There are some more light-hearted bills filed too. They include a resolution to celebrate the life of legendary musician, Jimmy Buffet, who died last September.
Another one aims to change the Florida state bird from the mockingbird to the flamingo.
Tuesday is also the final day for lawmakers to file a bill. The legislative session wraps up in early March.