TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Orientation is underway at the Capitol for some of the newest elected members of the Florida Legislature.
What You Need To Know
- New and seasoned lawmakers are meeting in Tallahassee this week to get up to speed ahead of the 2025 legislative session
- They will be attending a two-day course known as Legislator University
- It’s the first formal opportunity for incoming freshman to familiarize themselves with the lawmaking process
Freshman, plus more seasoned lawmakers, are attending a two-day course known as Legislator University. The crash course program gets freshman up to speed, while also familiarizing veteran lawmakers to new rules and procedures, which can change under each new House and Senate Leader.
“This process is a difficult process,” said Sen. Dianne Hart (D-FL). “Nobody can really prepare you for this process other than yourself. You’ve got to entrench yourself in reading the rule books.”
Lawmakers attend various workshops throughout the day, many of which are also intended to brief them on state issues. Among the featured workshops are sessions on health care, criminal justice, property insurance and more.
“There’s always room to learn,” said Rep. Alex Rizzo (R-FL). “We are all lifelong learners and it’s great to see the energy that comes not only with the freshman class but also the upperclassmen.”
The 2025 legislative session kicks off in March with 35 new lawmakers, many of which are incoming Republican members.
Committee weeks will take place after Legislature University, and will continue into the new year.