Capitol Watch: Unemployment benefits, Condo insurance, Proof of citizenship when voting

TALLAHASSEE — We've passed the halfway point in the 2026 Florida legislative session, and there are still several controversial bills moving through the chambers. 

"A Death Knell for Rural Lands on the Little Manatee River"

HB 4061, a bill creating an independent stewardship district in South Hillsborough County, just past the Manatee County line, is set to go to the House Floor. A Land Reserve Stewardship is a special district designed to plan, finance, and manage infrastructure and public services.

The district would cover the area that exists within the Little Manatee River to the north, I-75 to the east, the Manatee-Hillsborough County line to the south, and US-41 to the west.

The district is reportedly being pushed by Neal Communities, the LDS Church, and local politicians. Critics argue that it would bypass public input and could leave citizens paying the bill.

Condo owners beware

HB 943 and its companion bill, SB 1028, would require Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run nonprofit insurance company for Floridians who can't get coverage on the private market, to create a new program that would allow loosely regulated "surplus lines" to take over policies covering condos and business properties.

Citizens would then be compelled to hire an outside company to administer the program, which would likely result in condo owners paying higher premiums for lower-quality insurance. The legislation was pushed by Ryan Specialty, a Chicago-based insurance services company that has spent heavily on campaign donations and lobbying, presumably because it wants that contact.

Making it more difficult to access unemployment benefits

Florida already has one of the stingiest unemployment insurance programs in the nation. Workers and employers are forced to pay into it, but the benefits are paltry and come with many requirements. Lawmakers aim to make that more so during this session.

HB 191, which has already passed the House, would disqualify individuals receiving unemployment benefits if they:

• Fail to contact five prospective employers per week
• Fail to appear three or more times for a scheduled job interview without notifying the prospective employer of the need to cancel or reschedule
• Fail to return to work when recalled by their former employer after a temporary layoff

Voter suppression?

There are several voting bills moving through the legislative session that opponents claim are aimed at making voting more difficult. Perhaps the most troubling is HB 991, which has passed out of two committees and would require proof of citizenship when voting.

The League of Women Voters of Florida states that more than 9 percent of American citizens of voting age don’t have their proof of citizenship readily available. In Florida, that represents approximately 1.6 million people.

Sen. Jim Boyd: boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
Rep. Will Robinson: Will.Robinson@flhouse.gov
Rep. Bill Conerly: Bill.Conerly@flhouse.gov
Rep. Michael Owen: michael.owen@flhouse.gov