JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis said Monday that he will sign a proclamation calling for a special legislative session in May to deal with several issues, most notably property insurance reform.
"I am not confident we'd be able to punch it through this week (during a special session)," Governor DeSantis said. "But what I will be signing this week is a proclamation to set the dates for a special session in May. We're going to work with the legislative leaders on those dates and it will have as the main focus the reform of the property insurance market."
The move comes after state Senator Jeff Brandes tried to call for a special session himself using the legislature's rules after DeSantis had up to that point refused to call a second special session.
Seven property insurance companies in Florida are now in liquidation and many residents are seeing bills nearly triple what they were two years ago.
DeSantis made the comments at an appearance at UF Health alongside Surgeon General Dr. Joe Ladapo. They announced $80 million in funds for a new level 1 trauma facility at UF Health Jacksonville.
It will be called the Dr. Leon Haley Jr. Trauma Center in honor of the late dean of UF Health Jacksonville who died in a jet ski accident last year.
Scripps sister station WFTS in Tampa contributed to this report.
