Florida Senate Democrats

03/04/2026

Happy Birthday to Senator Mack Bernard!

We hope you have a great day - thank you for the service and experience you add to the Florida Senate Democrats!

02/27/2026

The following Democratic bills have passed the Senate:

- SB 1022 by Senator Tina Polsky creates the Bay County 32401 Children’s Initiative in Bay County and the Pompano RYZE Children’s Initiative in Broward County.

- CS/SB 1246 by Senator Tracie Davis expands the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund to address broader health science workforce shortages beyond nursing.

- CS/CS/SB 1180 by Senator Kristen Arrington establishes a formal process for Florida residents to recall members of a CDD board of supervisors.

CS/SB 844 by Senator Shevrin Jones requires mandatory continuing education courses on prescribing controlled substances to include information regarding the treatment of pain for patients with sickle cell disease.

02/20/2026

The following Democratic Bills have passed the Senate:

- SB 694: provides compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four

- SB 418: establishes the “Blue Envelope Program,” which creates a system to improve safety during law enforcement interactions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

- CS/SB 32: strengthens access to protective injunctions and helps ensure survivors can get fast, meaningful protection, without extra barriers

- CS/CS/SB 178: allows K-12 head coaches to use $15,000 in personal funds annually to support student athlete welfare

- SB 748: requires sentencing scoresheets to include a clear notice explaining how a sentence impacts an individual’s voting rights and when and how they can be restored

- CS/SB 110: makes individuals holding a 98-year or longer residential lease eligible for Florida’s homestead tax exemption, even if they have a lease that terminates upon their death

- SB 210: strengthens protections for violent crime survivors seeking injunctions and safeguards sensitive information in the court process

- CS/CS/SB 658 & 608: strengthen water safety standards for all residential properties and help prevent drowning

- CS/SB 176: requires public colleges and universities to develop and implement comprehensive safety policies to address prevention, reporting, and response protocols for acts of violence and credible threats

- CS/CS/SB 54: requires medical examiners to perform toxicology screenings on violent offenders during autopsies and report findings on psychotropic drugs/intoxicating substances to state agencies

- CS/SB 606: requires the Department of Health to develop educational materials on safe bathing and drowning prevention for new parents and caregivers, and mandates that hospitals, birth centers, and home providers provide these materials at no cost

02/13/2026

CS/SB 694, which would provide compensation to the families of the Groveland Four, has advanced through the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Listen to Senator tell their story:

02/09/2026

Last week, President Trump posted a video featuring racist imagery of President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. After an attempt by the White House to blame an unnamed staffer, the President admitted to sharing the post and has refused to apologize.

In response, the Democratic Senators of Florida’s Legislative Black Caucus have issued the following statement:

02/06/2026

and spoke at the dedication ceremony for Florida’s Memorial to the Enslaved.

See their full remarks at https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/2-3-26-legislative-black-caucus-dedication-ceremony-for-floridas-slave-memorial/

02/04/2026

Senator Rosalind Osgood’s response to Florida AG’s redefinition of equality.

“I hear from families who understand exclusion not as a theory, but as an experience.”

Read full op-ed at South Florida Sun Sentinel: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/02/04/florida-ags-redefinition-of-equality-should-alarm-us-all-opinion/

02/02/2026

This February, we celebrate and reflect on the resilience, achievements, and history of Black leaders in America. At a time where some would prefer we forget our history, honoring the contributions of Black communities in shaping Florida — both past and present — is more important than ever.

01/29/2026

CS/SB 296, the Helping Abuse Victims Escape Now (HAVEN) Act, and CS/SB 298, both by , passed the Senate unanimously today.

The HAVEN Act creates a feasibility study on the discrete reporting systems for abuse related emergencies — allowing police to respond without escalating conflict with an abuser.

CS/SB 298 supports the HAVEN Act by exempting information on domestic and dating violence victims from public records.

01/13/2026

"Democrats are laser-focused on what really matters: building a more affordable Florida for all of us. No one has to lose for all of us to win."

Check out Leader Lori Berman's response to the governor's State of the State speech here:

Watch more coverage on our State of the State page.

09/10/2025

The Florida Senate Democratic Caucus grieves the death of Charlie Kirk. The rise of political violence in this country is deeply distressing, and we unequivocally condemn it in all forms. Our prayers are with Charlie’s family, friends, and colleagues at this unimaginably difficult time.

07/08/2025

"This tax holiday on guns is irresponsible, coldly political and a slap in the face to the [Parkland] victims and their families."

State Senator Tina Polsky slams Florida's new tax holiday on guns and ammo in an op-ed for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Read more:

State Sen. Tina Polsky, who represents Parkland and the surrounding area in the Florida Senate, decries a sales tax holiday on fi****ms and ammunition in this year’s state budget. A single-da…