TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature is bucking Gov. Ron DeSantis' call for a special session.

They gaveled in Monday and gaveled out — essentially killing all previously filed bills. 

The Senate and House then launched their own special session, pushing their own immigration policy.

They are saying their own bills will align more with President Trump's immigration orders rather than the governor's instructions. 

DeSantis responded Monday, saying he was glad that Florida Republicans agreed to hold a special session despite earlier calling such a move premature.

He then went on to list the problems he has with the currently proposed legislation, saying the proposal doesn't go far enough in furthering, "proposals I outlined and that are necessary to ensure that Florida leads on fulfilling the Trump Administration’s mandate to enforce immigration law and deport illegal aliens."

DeSantis also responded to the proposal using stronger language Monday afternoon, calling some of the provisions in the bill unconstitutional.

Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton released a statement in response, arguing the governor hadn't read the text of the bill, also named the TRUMP Act. 

“The Governor did not read President Trump’s Executive Orders before calling a special session. As a matter of fact, they didn’t exist. And, it would appear he didn’t read SB2B/HB 1B before issuing a response on social media. He leveled serious and inappropriate insults at his fellow Cabinet Officer, local law enforcement officers, and our agricultural community," the two said in a statement released to members of the press.

“The Legislature will not act in a disingenuous or dishonorable way by attacking anyone, especially our law enforcement. Unlike others, the Legislature is not interested in misleading or attacking Floridians, especially Florida law enforcement. Our number one goal is to work together with President Trump. Anyone that says anything otherwise is not reading the bill, not reading the executive orders, or just not telling the truth," the statement continued.

From the jump, legislative leaders resisted DeSantis' call for a special session, calling it "premature" and even "irresponsible."

Leaders are urging lawmakers to remain close to the Capitol.

Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez said in prepared remarks for Special Session 2025-B that the House was canceling the previously scheduled committee meetings for this week to focus exclusively on Special Session. 

Florida Democrats responded to the drama with a tweet of a man eating popcorn. 

The main bill under consideration in special session B is HB 1B, a wide-sweeping bill targeting immigration. The 87-page bill would enable the Commissioner of Agriculture to be more involved in immigration enforcement in the state, if passed in its current form. 

HB 1B will be heard in three committees Monday afternoon, at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and then the Rules & Ethics Committee will meet at 7 p.m.

Perez said lawmakers will meet on the House floor Tuesday at 10 a.m., "and I anticipate that we will complete our work in one day." 

Additionally, the Florida legislature voted to override some line-item vetoes DeSantis made to the legislature's budget last year. Perez called for the vote, taking care to mention that although the governor vetoed the legislative branch's budget, the executive branch's budget has continued to increase. 

“This veto was at best a misunderstanding of the importance of the appropriation, or, at worst, an attempt to threaten the independence of our separate branch of government. Whatever the rationale, this Special Session represents the first opportunity to correct this veto,” Perez said.

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