TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis is signaling that property tax relief, long touted as a top Republican priority, may not be resolved during the upcoming 2026 legislative session. Instead, he’s floating the possibility of a separate special session later this spring, a move that’s exposing fresh fractures within the GOP-controlled Capitol.
With the 60-day regular session set to begin next week, DeSantis suggested lawmakers may need to return after early March to focus exclusively on property taxes. The republican arguing the compressed session can be too chaotic for sweeping reforms.
WATCH: GOP divisions emerge over timing of Florida property tax cuts
“I think there is some value in teeing something up,” DeSantis said.
Speaking Wednesday in Steinhatchee, the governor said the regular session’s pace and volume make it difficult to track major policy changes as they move through the Legislature.
“It's 60 days. There's things flying all over the place, and things kind of sneak through at the last minute, and it's harder to keep, it's hard for me to keep track of. I mean, I've had things plop on my desk. I'm like, where the hell did this come from?” DeSantis said.
DeSantis has said he favors a broad elimination of homestead property taxes, arguing the state could backfill lost revenue for rural counties that can’t afford the cuts. While he has not released a detailed proposal, he has dismissed several legislative alternatives as “milquetoast.”
The Florida House, however, is pressing ahead.
“I would suggest that we are ready to go with property tax legislation,” said Rep. Toby Overdorf (R-Stuart), the chair of the House Select Committee on Property Taxes.
Overdorf said House lawmakers have spent nearly a year developing proposals and already have legislation ready for floor consideration. The House is moving forward with a slate of eight ideas over the next 60 days, most aimed at reducing non-school property taxes for homesteaded homeowners.
“This is our job. I mean, we are supposed to be doing this work during the legislative session. We take that job seriously, and as a result, we have been working incredibly hard on this. I have met with people from Pensacola to Key West and everywhere in between,” Overdorf said.
Overdorf said he expects the House to have at least one or two measures positioned for the 2026 ballot, though Senate approval would still be required.
For now, the Senate appears more aligned with the governor’s timeline. In a memo to senators Wednesday, Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) said he is “certainly open” to addressing property tax relief later, emphasizing that “the substance is more important than the timing.”
“Major revisions to our property tax structure are a big deal,” said Albritton. “We owe it to Floridians to devote the time necessary to get this right.”
That stance sets up a potential standoff among the House, the governor and the Senate — one that could delay property tax approval for months.
Democrats, meanwhile, argue the entire debate is misplaced. During a December press conference, they laid out their priorities to tackle affordability in the state. Many of the measures focused on lowering insurance costs.
“No, there is no property tax on the list,” said Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman (D), warning that property tax cuts could undermine funding for local services. “People aren't complaining about their property taxes, they're complaining about their property insurance and about being able to afford things here in this state.”
Whether a special session on property taxes ultimately materializes remains unclear. What is certain: DeSantis has already called lawmakers back to Tallahassee in April for a special session on congressional redistricting. It’s another issue where he is out of step with House leaders, who have pledged to move their own maps during the regular session.
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