TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Legislature wrapped up a special session Wednesday, bolstering Gov. Ron DeSantis’ foreign policy resume by expanding sanctions against companies that do business with Iran in advance of Wednesday night’s GOP presidential debate in Miami.
The Legislature also unanimously passed a resolution supporting Israel in its battle against Hamas, a terrorist organization funded by Iran that invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and went on a murderous rampage.
But House and Senate leaders also used the opportunity to deal with issues closer to home by approving a $416 million relief package for the victims of Hurricane Idalia, giving $45 million to boost security at Jewish day schools and other institutions targeted by antisemitism, and expanding school vouchers for children with special needs and disabilities.
While some Democratic lawmakers criticized the special session as yet another example of performative politics from DeSantis, by the end of the session many said it wound up doing some good. The votes were unanimous on all five bills.
“I didn’t get a sense this was for DeSantis,” said Sen. Victor Torres, D-Kissimmee. “I got a sense from the speaker and president that this was more to up our game for the community.”
The biggest piece of legislation was a $416 million hurricane recovery package that included tax reductions for damaged agricultural crops and buildings, fuel tax rebates for transporting produce, and grants and loans for rebuilding and replanting.
More than half of that money – $181 million – was earmarked for wiping out a waiting list of 17,000-plus applicants to the My Safe Florida Home program. They didn’t receive money from the first round of grants approved for the program during the last regular session.
Lawmakers also approved the funding for security at Jewish day schools, museums and other organizations that have become targets of antisemitic attacks and other hate crimes.
To underscore what the session was really about, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, Israel’s Consul General in Miami, met with senators after they took the final vote on the special session agenda. He showed them graphic videos of Hamas attacks on Israeli villages and the carnage left in their wake on the day the war started.
He called Oct. 7 the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, with 1,400 Jews killed, 5,400-plus wounded and 240 missing.
People in Israel “ follow what is happening in Florida very closely,” Elbaz-Starinsky said. “Whatever support we can secure here has a big impact.”
He accompanied DeSantis when he visited Israel on its 75th anniversary and was present when the first planeload of Americans leaving Israel on DeSantis’ airlift landed at Tampa International Airport.
Everywhere he goes he tells people their state should do what Florida has done, including flying medical and other humanitarian supplies to Israel.
“We are happy to be united in Florida, that we stand with Israel, and do what we can to ensure your sovereignty can be maintained,” Sen. Alexis Calatayud said.