Tallahassee preview: lobbyist tells Sebring council lawmakers will file thousands of bills; property-tax proposals loom

Ken Pruitt of the P5 Group briefed the City of Sebring council on the upcoming 60-day Florida legislative session and the team’s work on the city’s behalf.

Pruitt said legislative filing deadlines are near and that 899 bills had been filed as of his update, a number he expects to more than double during the session. He forecast a fast-moving environment with a small share of bills reaching committee hearings and an even smaller share becoming law — estimating roughly 250 laws by session’s end. He emphasized that the governor’s budget recommendation (about $117 billion) is only a starting point for lawmakers.

On specific items, Pruitt identified property-tax measures among the most consequential for local governments, including a high-profile constitutional amendment that would increase the homestead exemption by $200,000 (the sponsor-passed amendment was reported to have moved through committees). He warned that a broad property-tax constitutional change could materially affect city and county finances and urged continued vigilance and local advocacy.

Pruitt summarized the firm’s process: half of their work will be off-session with state agencies and grant teams, and half will be direct legislative work in Tallahassee. He said his team is tracking a spreadsheet of several hundred bills of particular interest to Sebring and working closely with city staff and lobbyist Jared Lee to prioritize items that could affect local funding, business tax proposals and accessory-dwelling unit or zoning-related bills.

The council thanked Pruitt for the update and encouraged continued coordination on grant opportunities and legislative priorities.