2025 Florida Legislative Hub

(Check out our recap of this year's session here.)

The 2025 Florida legislative session officially begins on March 4, 2025, and runs for sixty days, concluding on May 2, 2025. During this time, lawmakers in Tallahassee will make critical decisions that affect every Floridian—our families, our freedoms, and our future.

We all want the same things: the ability to earn an honest living, access to affordable housing and health care, safe communities, quality public schools, and a democracy that works for all of us—not just some of us. But for years, Florida politicians have passed laws that erode our freedoms and limit our rights.

From government censorship and abortion bans to restrictions on voting rights and attacks on immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, Florida’s democracy is at a crossroads. But we are not powerless. We, the people, hold the power to shape Florida’s future.

A Florida where we are:

• Free to make personal decisions without government interference.
• Free to vote and have an equal say in our democracy.
• Free to live without fear of family separation.
• Free to speak, learn, and read without government censorship.
• Free to be our authentic selves without discrimination.

Together, we can hold the line for freedom and ensure every Floridian—not just politicians—has a voice in shaping our state. Learn more about how you can get engaged and involved during this session.

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Florida politicians continue to undermine our First Amendment rights, attempting to silence voices they disagree with. This session, we are fighting to:

• Defend the right to protest and protect public spaces from censorship and discrimination.
• Ensure inclusive, discrimination-free public schools where students can learn without fear of government interference.

After a special session convened in February, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping anti-immigrant bill package, diverting nearly $300 million of our taxpayer dollars to support Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda. These new laws are dangerous, discriminatory, and potentially unconstitutional, designed to instill fear in our communities and destabilize Florida’s economy. This legislative session, we oppose any further attempts to:

• Expand state control over immigration enforcement.
• Target immigrant communities with punitive legislation.
• Limit undocumented students’ access to public education.

All Floridians deserve the opportunity to seek safety and build a better life — no matter where we come from.

Across the country, lawmakers are launching a coordinated effort to erase LGBTQ+ people from public life. In 2024 alone, the ACLU tracked 533 anti-LGBTQ+ bills nationwide—14 of them in Florida, contributing to a dangerous trend. Even when these bills don’t become law, they send a clear and dangerous message that LGBTQ+ citizens don’t belong, but we know the truth:

• LGBTQ+ people are here, they always have been, and they deserve to live openly, freely, and without fear.
• Trans Floridians will never be erased, and we oppose legislative efforts to undermine trans people’s ability to access gender-affirming care, silence LGBTQ+ people and their histories, and discriminate against LGBTQ+ students from showing up to school as their authentic selves.
• Every Floridian—no matter their gender, race, or background—deserves to live freely, openly, and without fear.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Floridians voted to remove government interference in abortion access, yet state lawmakers ignored the will of the people and implemented a near-total abortion ban that went into effect on May 1, 2024.

• We oppose any bills that further restrict abortion access. Every person in Florida has a right to make deeply personal and private medical decisions about whether, when, and how to have children — without government control.

Florida remains one of the most difficult states in the country to vote in, and politicians continue to enact laws that make the process even harder. Voting in Florida should be safe, accessible, and secure—every Floridian deserves an equal say in our democracy.

• We oppose efforts to restrict vote-by-mail, limit ballot initiatives, or increase government control over elections.
• Floridians deserve a state where registering to vote is easy, casting a ballot is simple and convenient, and historically disenfranchised communities can fully participate in the democratic process.

We have assembled a Legislative Session Advocacy Toolkit to better understand the legislative session and help guide your advocacy efforts. The toolkit illustrates how to effectively talk with your legislators about issues that are important to you.

If you have more questions about the legislative process, we invite you to become an ACLU of Florida volunteer today. Be the first to know about our expert-led townhall series that breaks down how the legislature works — and how it should work for us.

You have a say in what goes on in your community. Use your voice to create a truly free Florida for all.

Below are a variety of ways you can share your voice with legislators and with the general public. Both audiences are important. Learn how to contact your lawmakers – through calling, emailing, or visiting them – as well as how to testify at the Florida Capitol and how to write a letter to the editor.

Three Key Advocacy Moments:

Your voice is most impactful at these critical points in the legislative process:

• When a bill is in committee: Lawmakers decide whether to advance the bill.
• Before a floor vote: Bills that pass the committee wait to be scheduled for a vote.
• During a floor vote: The final decision before becoming law.

Join fellow Floridians in getting updates and rapid calls to action by signing up to become an ACLU of Florida volunteer.

Your elected representative works for you! Lawmakers listen to constituents who reach out to them directly.

Find your legislators: https://www.flhouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
Physical Address of State House: 400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32399
Website: https://www.floridacapitol.myflorida.com/

Urge your elected officials to vote for or against certain bills. Remember to include the following things in your message:

• Who you're calling: You'll need to know which Senate district and House district you live in and the name of the legislator you're trying to contact. You can find that information out here.
• What you're calling about: Say the House bill number or Senate bill number you're calling in reference to and what action you'd like your legislator to take (ie. "please vote no on HB XXXX!").

A well-written, personal letter or email is an invaluable way to make your voice heard. Tips for writing to your legislators:

• Keep it short: If your legislator is receiving a lot of mail about certain issues, you’ll want to make your point quickly.
• Tell a story: The more personal your letter is, the more compelling it will be to your legislator. Tell your legislator how bills will affect you, your family, or your friends.
• Problem, solution, action: In the letter be sure to include the problem, the solution, and the action you want taken (i.e. “Vote no on HB XXXX!”).
• State who you are and what you want upfront: In the first sentence, tell your elected official that you are a constituent. State your name and address. You should also clearly identify the issue about which you are writing. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, it helps to identify it by bill number (HB ___ or SB ____) or simply state the issue in general terms.
  • Example: Dear Senator, my name is Jane Smith and I live in your district at XX in Miami, Florida. I am writing to you about SB XX because of XYZ. I urge you to support these values and this important bill.

Meeting your legislators in person is an effective way to talk to them about what matters to you.

Tips for meeting with your legislator:

• Schedule your meeting: Email, mail, or call your legislator to request a meeting. When you do this, be sure to tell them what you want to talk about. If you’re their constituent, tell them. If you’re bringing another constituent or someone else to the meeting, let them know. Don’t ambush them with unexpected guests.
• Once you have a meeting scheduled, it’s time to educate yourself: Is the legislator a co-sponsor of a measure you support? Have they supported issues important to you in the past? Do you have connections in common with the legislator? Can you personalize your relationship? (Do your kids go to school together, for example?)
• Decide on your goals and what you hope to get out of this meeting: Are you hoping to introduce yourself? Do you want the legislator to understand your point of view on a certain topic? Are you asking for their support or opposition to a particular bill?
• Follow up: After the meeting, don’t forget to send a thank you note to leave a lasting impression and strengthen the relationship you’ve established.

You can speak directly to lawmakers by testifying at the Capitol in Tallahassee. When a bill is being heard before a committee, the public is invited to testify for or against that bill. It is important that lawmakers hear from individuals who will be directly impacted by the proposed law, as well as from individuals who have unique expertise related to the bill.

How do I know when I can testify?
The easiest way to stay informed about opportunities to testify is by signing up to be an ACLU of Florida volunteer.

What should I say?
You’ll have limited time, so focus on a couple of key points that make your perspective unique. Give reasons for supporting or opposing the bill. Make it personal. Share how it will affect you, those you love, and/or your community. You can prepare a statement ahead of time and read from it.

Will I be asked questions?
Committee members may ask you questions. It’s a sign that they’re engaged with what you have to say. If you cannot answer the question, don’t worry, tell the committee you will get back to them with more information. Don’t guess the answer.

Shaping how the general public thinks about an issue is an important part of advocacy work. You can easily reach a large audience by submitting a letter to the editor of a local or statewide newspaper or magazine. Not only do lawmakers track what gets printed, but media outlets also take note of what readers care about. So even if your letter doesn’t get picked up, you’ll be encouraging the paper to report on that issue. It’s a win-win.

How do I write a letter to the editor?
If you’ve never written a letter before, or even if you have, it’s helpful to review what letters a specific newspaper has published over the last few weeks. It will give you a sense of the length and tone.

There are a few general tips:

• Keep it short: Most letters should be 150-200 words at the most. Focus on one or two main points.
• Write from your personal experience: A newspaper is most likely to publish your letter if it’s unique — a perspective or experience that the paper otherwise hasn’t featured.
• Do research: Your chance of getting published is also higher if you reference a recent article. That way, you’re in conversation with the newspaper.
• Name names: If you’re trying to influence a legislator, mention them by name.
• Proofread: Be sure to check for typos and grammar.

Where do I submit my letter?
Google “submit letter to the editor” plus the name of the publication(s) you have in mind. Each newspaper has its own submission process. We've included links to the submission guidelines for a few larger Florida papers below:

• The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)
• Miami Herald
• Orlando Sentinel
• The Palm Beach Post
• Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale)
• Tampa Bay Times
• Tallahassee Democrat

Be the first to receive updates and action alerts by signing up as an ACLU of Florida volunteer.