Senate President Ben Albritton said legislation that unanimously cleared the Senate floor Wednesday may seem boring, but it is perhaps one of the most significant bills of the 2025 Session.

“This may be like watching paint dry, but at the end of the day, it is one of the boldest moves and important moves that the Florida Legislature will propose to state government to produce accountability and transparency and better government,” Albritton said about the proposed administrative procedural changes.

Among the sweeping changes in SB 108 is a requirement that state agencies review 20% of their rules annually. The agency would then decide whether to keep the rule, make a technical change, significantly change it or repeal it. The Senate President and House Speaker would get notified about the agency’s plans in a report due by Jan. 1 every year.

“The new process outlined in this bill improves oversight and accountability for everyone involved, including the Legislature. It is our responsibility to make sure bills we pass are implemented properly, so we can make changes if needed,” said Sen. Erin Grall, the bill sponsor, in a statement after the vote.

“This bill creates a thorough, systematic review to determine if existing agency rules are functioning to appropriately implement the law, or if certain rules need to be updated, amended or repealed. All materials related to rule reviews, including any changes, will also be made available online in a timely manner and easy-to-read format, enhancing transparency and public engagement in the rulemaking process.”

Added Albritton in a statement, “One of the reasons DOGE efforts at the federal level have become so popular is that people have a problem with unelected federal bureaucrats having so much unchecked authority. Florida is not immune from that kind of scrutiny. Outdated and unnecessary rules can cause burdensome bureaucracy, hindering transparency for Floridians, and creating barriers for citizens and businesses struggling to comply.”

SB 108 would also require state agencies issuing licenses to track compliance with licensure time frames to ensure applicants receive appropriate, timely responses.

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The House Careers and Workforce Subcommittee advanced an education bill Wednesday that would implement curriculum teaching Florida students skills they can use in everyday life.

Tampa Republican Rep. Susan Valdés introduced the measure (HB 1261) and said the idea came from students in her district.

“Members, this bill is also known as the ‘Smart Living Act,’ and back home as you all know, I represent District 54 in Hillsborough County, and ever since my freshman year, I’ve always saved a bill slot for our students to come with their idea of what ought to be a law,” Valdés said. “This is the product of this year’s student bill, what I normally call my kid bill, and these students created this out of Hillsborough Public Schools Jefferson High School.”

Valdés noted that she worked closely with Jefferson High School students while developing the bill.

“This is a direct response to our students’ voices; they’re asking for an education that goes beyond the textbook,” Valdés said. “One that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities they will face in their adult life. I have been working closely with them to develop a curriculum that equips students with essential knowledge for adulthood.”

If enacted, schools would be required to implement learning on financial literacy, including how to balance a checkbook and budgeting skills.

“This bill expands the current financial literacy course that high school students must take to graduate,” Valdés said. “It allows the curriculum to cover practical subjects necessary to transition effectively into adulthood, including simple things like writing and signing checks, as well as balancing a checkbook, understanding personal finance, including budgeting, credit management and loans.”

Valdés noted the bill would ensure that every student graduate with a foundational understanding of financial literacy, money management, how to send emails, and even how to change a tire and perform basic home maintenance.

“Many students are unaware of the financial resources available to them and will miss out on a higher education opportunity simply due to a lack of information,” Valdés said. “That is why my students are so passionate about this bill. It provides every student with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the real world.”

Jefferson High School student Lorena Fernandez spoke before the committee and told members the bill was important to her and her fellow students.

“The focus of our bill is students progressing in life after high school, because we are not taught everything that we need to be sitting in the chairs that you all are now,” Fernandez said. “So, it’s important to us that students be taught everything that they need to be moving forward, not just in their educational path and their career path, but in everyday life.”

St. Cloud Republican Rep. Paula Stark commended Jefferson High School students for their efforts in developing the bill and said it was an inspiration.

“I’m truly inspired, sometimes all we hear is the negative about our students and our children, and that truly is not the case, it’s truly remarkable what they can come up with and how thoughtful they {can be) when they are challenged to do so.”

The committee passed the measure by a vote of 18-0 and it will now go to the PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee.

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The Senate passed “Trooper’s Law” — the legislation prompting new reform after a dog was tied up and abandoned during a hurricane last year.

The bill was passed 39-0 on the Senate floor Wednesday with little discussion.

The amended version of SB 150 would make restraining and abandoning a dog outside during a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, a third-degree felony.

The bill, which previously referenced a more general “animal,” was amended to match the House version, said sponsor Sen. Don Gaetz.

No cat-lovers spoke out in protest.

Meanwhile, the House companion (HB 205) is on second reading.

A 5-year-old bull dog terrier was abandoned and tied up along the Interstate near Tampa as Hurricane Milton hit Florida last year. The dog stood in rising waters and caught the attention of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales, who rescued the animal.

The footage went viral.

“The video is very heartbreaking,” said Rep. Griff Griffitts, who sponsored the House version, during the committee process.

Gov. Ron DeSantis applauded the rescue effort during his State of the State address earlier this month.

The legislation has received support from outside groups including the Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the Humane Society of the United States and Florida Animal Control Association.

The dog, who was renamed Trooper after the person who saved him, has since been adopted and found a new home. The dog has been battling health issues in recent months according to media reports.

The dog’s ex-owner who abandoned him, Giovanny Garcia, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty last year.

Gaetz said the sad situation prompted change in Tallahassee.

“Sometimes we get to do a good thing about a bad thing, and that’s this bill,” Gaetz said earlier this month in a committee hearing.

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