Gov. Ron DeSantis outlines immigration, tax, insurance and environment priorities in joint session

Governor Ron DeSantis, speaking to a joint session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee, laid out a multiissue agenda that emphasized immigration enforcement, tax relief proposals, insurance-market stability, education and Everglades restoration as top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

Why it matters: The governor framed the priorities as measures that affect more than 23,000,000 Floridians and said the Legislature has 60 days to act. He tied economic growth, disaster recovery and environmental projects to proposed budget and policy steps the administration will seek during the session.

DeSantis opened by saying recent state laws have strengthened interior immigration enforcement, and he singled out the state's new immigration leadership. “We are not a sanctuary state. We are a rule of law state,” Governor DeSantis said, introducing the administration’s new immigration czar, Larry Keith, and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

On taxes and business policy, DeSantis urged continued tax relief and proposed measures including additional tax holidays and the eventual elimination of Florida’s business rent tax. He said Florida remains a low‑tax state and warned the Legislature not to raise state taxes. “Don’t anyone tell you we’re gonna seek to raise state taxes because this body will not pass tax increases, and this governor will not sign any tax increases,” he said.

The governor addressed the state’s insurance market and recovery programs. He credited recent legislative reforms with producing cuts in some auto insurance rates and said the homeowners market is stabilizing, with 11 new companies entering the market and roughly 30,000 new private policies placed in 2024. He urged continued funding for a home‑hardening grant program he described as the “My State Florida Home wait list” (program name as stated in the speech) for homeowners already approved for assistance.

On education, DeSantis praised Florida’s school choice programs and proposed continued investment in teacher pay and incentives. He recommended an increase in funds for teacher salaries and reiterated support for a $3,000 civics training bonus for teachers who complete the state’s Civic Seal of Excellence program. He also reiterated the state policy to remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) requirements from higher education.

DeSantis highlighted Hope Florida, a program led by the first lady, Casey DeSantis, as a workforce‑and‑case management model that the administration says connected thousands of participants to jobs and reduced dependency on public assistance. He cited figures the administration provided for program outcomes and savings.

On environment and restoration, the governor said the Florida Wildlife Corridor now spans millions of acres with substantial acreage protected and that the state is working to accelerate Everglades restoration projects including the EAA Reservoir. He said the federal government has been slow to act but that the Trump administration was “receptive to block granting money” to the state to speed projects.

DeSantis also addressed disaster recovery, describing storm response and grants to affected small businesses and residents. He praised local responders and cited examples of rescue and debris removal efforts after recent hurricanes.

He called for reforms to the constitutional amendment petition process after alleged petition fraud, and urged careful work on condominium‑owner protections related to post‑Surfside reforms to avoid forcing owners from their buildings.

The joint session approved a motion to appoint a committee to notify the governor that the joint session was assembled; on the Senate side the presiding officer announced appointments of Senators Hooper, Harold, Wright and Boyd, and on the House side representatives Jacquez, Shoaf, Cobb, Jay Lopez and Saroy were named. Later in the proceedings, Senator Pasadomo moved to dissolve the joint session; the motion was approved and the joint session was adjourned.

Less critical details: DeSantis praised recent state accomplishments, noted the state’s low per‑capita debt and repeated that Florida has no individual income tax, and he recognized a series of individuals in the gallery connected to programs and honors he cited.

(Quotes and attributions are drawn from the governor’s remarks to the joint session.)