Politics
Florida’s AI laws are stronger than you think
As Florida’s 2026 Legislative Session approaches, artificial intelligence is expected to be a major focus among Tallahassee’s policymakers. Driven by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ calls for greater regulation, the legislature has already filed at least 32 bills ranging from embracing the new technology to banning it. But before legislators weigh these proposals, they should review the protections Florida has already put in place.
The House got a head start on the subject during their inaugural AI Week, convening various agencies, industries, and practitioners to discuss how they are approaching the emerging technology. As legislators consider new AI proposals, they would do well to heed the advice of Leo Schoonover, Chief Information Officer at the Department of Health, who urged the state in an early IT Budget & Policy Subcommittee meeting to “set the floor, not the ceiling.”
Schoonover has reason to be confident.
Over the past few years, Florida has set a strong “floor” of accountability for AI, in some cases without even trying. Those who testified before House committees repeatedly noted that Florida’s existing legal framework already addresses many of the concerns people have about AI. This is largely because preexisting laws tend to be process-neutral, providing penalties for harmful outcomes regardless of the tool or technology used.
Whether the technology is a chatbot, image generator, or diagnostic tool, the same accountability principles apply.
Consider the state’s protections against unauthorized commercial use of someone’s likeness. In 1967, long before generative AI was conceivable, lawmakers established penalties for profiting from a person’s identity without consent. While some fear that AI-generated media might evade these restrictions, the original statute focuses on the transgression rather than the method. Unauthorized profiteering remains illegal, whether the image is captured by a camera or generated by an algorithm.
The same accountability principles apply across licensed professional practices. The Florida Bar testified that lawyers who cite AI-hallucinated cases already face disciplinary action under longstanding ethics rules that predate the technology. Similarly, health care providers confirmed that physicians remain fully liable for any incorrect AI-assisted diagnosis or documentation under existing malpractice standards. Physicians, therefore, have strong reason to actively verify AI outputs rather than defer to them without scrutiny. In both professions, existing accountability structures discourage over-reliance without requiring AI-specific regulation.
Where regulatory gaps have arisen, the Legislature has moved to close them. Since 2022, the Legislature has reaffirmed that willfully promoting an altered sexual depiction of someone without their consent is illegal, most recently with the passage of “Brooke’s Law” last Session. In 2024, the Legislature passed requirements for political advertisements to include a transparency disclosure when content is created using AI. These efforts extend the same process-neutral logic to new contexts, keeping the focus on the harm itself rather than the technology used to commit it. If new gray areas arise in the future, Florida can and should apply the same framework when drafting new protections.
AI Week offered Florida a model for approaching novel technologies. Legislators heard directly from the agencies, industries, and practitioners who work with these tools every day. That kind of informed deliberation is exactly what good policymaking looks like. Florida has taken Schoonover’s approach without even realizing it. Through decades of process-neutral law, Florida has built a strong floor of consumer protection, while recent legislation has filled gaps where needed.
In the upcoming Session, legislators have a chance to build upon that foundation rather than abandon it. The floor is already there. All that’s left is deciding whether to trust it.
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Turner Loesel is a policy analyst in the Center for Technology and Innovation at The James Madison Institute.
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
House leaders are casting the opening days of the 2026 Legislative Session as an early win, pointing to a slate of bills approved in the chamber’s first week touching on workforce rules, public safety, health care, and civil liability.
“From protecting Florida jobs and improving health care outcomes to strengthening public safety and standing up for families, the Florida House hit the ground running,” House Speaker Daniel Perez said.
“These bills reflect our shared mission: to govern responsibly, solve real problems, and deliver meaningful results for Floridians. This productive first week set the tone for a Session focused on common-sense solutions and accountability.”
Among the priorities House Republicans are highlighting are proposals to tighten employment verification requirements, expand who can seek damages in wrongful death and medical negligence cases through a revived version of the so-called “Free Kill” repeal, and increase oversight of nursing education programs.
Lawmakers also advanced legislation aimed at improving pediatric readiness in hospital emergency departments, as well as a controversial measure that would roll back the post-Parkland law blocking adults under 21 from purchasing long guns. The long gun bill does not have a Senate companion.
The House news release said the chamber will “continue advancing legislation throughout the Session that reflects conservative principles, protects taxpayers, and improves the quality of life for all Floridians.”
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The James Madison Institute announced that U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody will be on hand as the general reception speaker for its 2026 Naples Annual Dinner.
The event is scheduled for LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort in Naples and will include a private meet-and-greet and photo opportunity for sponsors and VIP ticket holders beginning at 5 p.m., followed by a reception with Moody at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is set for 6:30 p.m., with formal programming running from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The evening will also include appearances by conservative commentator Scott Jennings and other featured guests promoted by the organization. Additional details about tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available through the institute.
Evening Reads
—”Donald Trump is going to have a hard time winning on Iran” via Mac William Bishop of Rolling Stone
—”Marco Rubio won; liberty lost” via Missy Ryan and Vivian Salama of The Atlantic
—”Why ICE can kill with impunity” via Lila Hassan of WIRED
—“ICE is becoming politically toxic — and fast” via Chris Cillizza of So What
—”Machado’s Nobel gamble: A peace offering to win over a wary Trump” via Michael Birnbaum and María Luisa Paúl of The Washington Post
—”Leading prediction firms share a commonality: Donald Trump Jr.” via Sharon LaFraniere of The New York Times
—”The wild card group that could scramble America’s political alliances” via Katherine Kelaidis of Vox
—”Jamie Dimon seemed to have Trump figured out — until this week” via Alexander Saeedy, AnnaMaria Andriotis, Emily Glazer and Brian Schwartz of The Wall Street Journal
—“Proposal to gradually end property taxes advances in House committee” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
—”‘Parkland learned this the hard way:’ Victim’s parents decry Florida bill to lower gun-buying age” via Angie DiMichelle of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Constitutionally, in America, we deserve access to the courts. There should be no exceptions to that.”
— Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy, as the “Free Kill” repeal passed the full House.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
Scandal-plagued U.S. Rep. Cory Mills gets a Pink Flamingo for helping shift his seat from “Solid Republican” to “Lean Republican” in The Cook Political Report’s latest ratings.
Order a Burn Baby Burn for Bridget Ziegler, whose ICE proposal could lead to Democrats taking full control of the Sarasota County School Board later this year.
Send the House a round of Raise To The Fraise for approving Rep. Fiona McFarland’s bill upping Florida’s current sovereign immunity caps.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Gators face Vanderbilt in key SEC contest
Florida faces Vanderbilt in a matchup of ranked SEC teams on Saturday (2 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Gators (12-5, 3-1 in SEC) are coming off three consecutive conference wins. Florida topped No. 18 Georgia, No. 21 Tennessee, and Oklahoma after losing to Missouri to open conference play. Now, it’s the 10th-ranked Commodores.
Against Oklahoma on Tuesday night, Florida, ranked 19th in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll, got 21 points from Thomas Haugh and 19 points and 12 rebounds from Rueben Chinyelu in a 96-79 victory. The Gators’ strong frontcourt play has helped the team win seven of the last eight games after losing to two top-5 teams, Duke and Connecticut.
Vanderbilt (16-1, 3-1 in SEC) was undefeated until an 80-64 loss at Texas on Wednesday night. The Commodores made just 36.7% of their shots in the game, including missing nine of 10 3-point attempts in the second half.
The defending national champions have not been as dominant as the team that breezed through the NCAA tournament last season, but the pieces are starting to work together as conference play unfolds. After Saturday’s game, Florida has only three games remaining against teams who are currently ranked: Alabama on Feb. 1, Georgia on Feb. 11, and Arkansas on Feb 28.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
Politics
Potential new Rays stadium at Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus slotted for first step
Mayor Ken Welch’s reelection campaign has recently taken two significant hits: His warchest was allegedly robbed of over $200,000, and a formidable opponent in the St. Petersburg race reported a fundraising windfall.
Welch, who has remained mum on the recent setbacks, insists he is not down for the count. He expressed confidence in his ability to overcome challenges and pride in his community-based support.
“We’ve been here,” Welch told the Catalyst. “We’ve been in the battle, and our opponent has not.”
The incumbent was referring to former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who is mulling a mayoral campaign in his hometown. A political committee created to gauge support for his potential run, St. Pete Shines, raised $338,687 between Nov. 12 and Dec. 31, according to state records.
St. Pete Shines also transferred $336,458 from Friends of Charlie Crist, a disbanded political action committee (PAC) established in 2022 to support his last gubernatorial bid. The challenger now has $712,283 on hand, nearly 15 times the amount remaining in Welch’s account.
Welch’s political committee, The Pelican, raised $282,800 last year. However, former treasurer Yolanda Brown stands accused of stealing $207,500.
Chairperson Adrienne Bogen said in a prepared statement that the committee “assumed the funds would be returned.” The money is still missing, and The Pelican is “in the process of notifying the appropriate state and federal authorities.”
When asked if he was concerned about the situation’s campaign impacts, Welch said, “Not at all.”
“I’ve been in family businesses that have been the victims of theft, and it’s a horrible feeling,” he added. “Anyone who has been through that understands it. But you can’t let that deter you from doing the job.”
Welch said his team “did exactly what they should have done the minute they saw the disparity – they reported it.” They also uncovered “what looks like a lot of bad activity” by Brown.
In 2024, Brown, working under the name Yolanda Cheers, paid $330,000 to settle a plea deal for felony grand theft and embezzlement charges in Alameda County, California. Her alleged misappropriations occurred in 2016; she was charged three years later.
Treasurers typically oversee campaign bank accounts, with candidates and other staff often relying on subsequent reports for financial information. A spokesperson for The Pelican said Brown was “brought on by someone no longer involved in the race,” and her onboarding process is “unknown at this time.”
Welch said Brown’s reports “always lined up.” He also noted that she had an extensive client list of elected officials. “I think that’s how she came to us – as a well-known entity who has done this type of work across the state.”
“People understand the real world,” Welch said. “They understand – if they understand political committees – that I don’t have oversight over that. So, no, I’m not concerned about that. The folks who contributed believed in the purpose of that PAC and moving our city forward.”
Donors who have discussed the issue with Welch are also “not concerned,” he said. The mayor believes he and his administration have “done well” in managing a $1.2 billion budget, 3,700 employees, exponential growth, an affordable housing crisis and the impacts from multiple hurricanes.
“We know what we’re doing,” Welch continued. “And I think our folks have faith in us moving forward.”
Crist is also a former attorney general and congressional representative. Welch plans to lean on 25 years of experience in local government, which is “closest to the people.”
Welch noted that he overcame a seemingly insurmountable fundraising deficit during his mayoral campaign. “But more important than that, we’ve been here doing the work for five years,” he said.
“You can’t buy that.”
Crist will not put a limit on fundraising efforts in Florida’s most expensive television advertising market. Welch said he will not try to match “dollars for dollars from Washington PACs and politicians from other states and Tallahassee.”
He plans to raise just enough money to “get our message out.” Welch said residents have already “seen us do the job here,” and pledged not to drop out of the race. “We want to finish the job.”
His supporters “work, live and generate jobs and progress right here in our city,” Welch said. State records show that 43 of 65 donor addresses, 66%, are from St. Petersburg or Pinellas County.
“It’s not outsiders and outside influence,” Welch said. “We’re proud of that. I’m proud of our principles, and we’ll continue to reflect that.”
Last Call for 1.15.26 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida
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