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The 2025 Florida legislative session in Tallahassee, concluding around May 2, 2025, with an extension to June 6, was marked by significant Republican infighting, particularly between Governor Ron DeSantis and legislative leaders like House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton. This tension, fueled by DeSantis’ perceived lame-duck status as a term-limited governor and Perez’s assertive independence, shaped the session’s outcomes. Below is a summary of the session’s accomplishments and major failures, focusing on how Republican dissension contributed to the latter. Allegations about Perez’s trips to Havana and their political implications are addressed, though evidence is limited. 

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Accomplishments of the 2025 Legislative Session 

Despite internal conflicts, the Florida Legislature passed approximately 230 bills addressing various issues, though many were less ambitious than in prior years under DeSantis’s more substantial influence. Key accomplishments include: 

• Immigration Legislation: 

• After a contentious special session in January, where Republican lawmakers rejected DeSantis’ initial proposals, a compromise immigration bill was passed. This legislation aligned with President Donald Trump’s hardline agenda, mandating the death penalty for undocumented immigrants convicted of capital offenses and creating a state immigration officer role reporting to the legislature, not the governor. The compromise resolved a weeks-long standoff but highlighted DeSantis’ reduced control. 

• Tax and Budget Measures: 

• The Legislature negotiated $2.5 billion in recurring tax cuts, including $1.6 billion in sales tax reductions, though this conflicted with DeSantis’ preference for property tax elimination. 

• A framework for the 2026 budget was established, projected to be lower than DeSantis’s $115.6 billion proposal, reflecting Speaker Perez’s push for fiscal restraint. 

• The Legislature overrode a 2024 DeSantis veto of $57 million for legislative support services, a rare move and the first budget veto override since 2010, signaling legislative independence. 

• Ballot Initiative Reforms: 

• HB 1205 was passed, tightening rules for citizen-led constitutional amendments. It requires petition collectors to register with the state, imposes stricter deadlines, and bans public funds for amendment campaigns. Supporters argued this prevents fraud, while critics claimed it restricts voter access, aligning with DeSantis’ call for stricter ballot processes. 

• Trump-Aligned Symbolic Measures: 

• Bills reflecting Trump’s influence included renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state references, designating a “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard” in Palm Beach, and preempting local control for a future Trump Presidential Library. These measures underscored GOP loyalty to Trump over DeSantis. 

• A Florida DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative, mirroring Trump’s federal effort, was created to audit state spending, particularly at universities. 

• Miscellaneous Legislation: 

• Bills passed include prohibiting local governments from adding fluoride to water, protecting state parks, and easing condo safety regulations post-Surfside collapse, though these were less comprehensive than DeSantis hoped. 

• A bill (HB 1321) passed the House to increase transparency in university president searches, repealing a DeSantis-backed law shielding applicant names, though its Senate fate is unclear. 

Major Failures Due to Republican Dissension 

Republican infighting, particularly between DeSantis and Perez, led to several high-profile failures, as the Legislature asserted its independence and prioritized its agenda over the governor’s. Key failures include: 

• Property Tax Elimination: 

• DeSantis pushed for abolishing property taxes, proposing a constitutional amendment for 2026 to increase homestead exemptions. However, Perez favored sales tax cuts, and Senate President Albritton called property tax reform “bona fide calculus,” indicating its complexity. No concrete proposal passed, with Perez forming a special committee to study it for 2026, delaying DeSantis’s flagship initiative. 

• Property Insurance Reform: 

• Despite Perez’s opening pledge to investigate insurers, no significant legislation addressed Florida’s property insurance crisis, a top voter concern. DeSantis claimed the market was stabilizing, but Perez’s push for insurer accountability (e.g., summoning executives to testify) yielded no legislative outcome, leaving homeowners without relief. 

• Condo Affordability Crisis: 

• DeSantis repeatedly called for relief from high condo assessments following the 2021 Surfside collapse reforms, but Perez dismissed the urgency, and no major bill passed. This was a significant defeat for DeSantis, who had urged action since 2024. 

• Hope Florida Initiative: 

• DeSantis sought to codify First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida program into law, but the House stalled the bill. A House subcommittee probe into a $10 million donation to the Hope Florida Foundation, part of a Medicaid settlement, further strained relations, with DeSantis accusing lawmakers of attacking his wife. The investigation ended without clear findings, but the lack of progress on the initiative hurt Casey DeSantis’ potential 2026 gubernatorial bid. 

• Gun Law Reforms: 

• DeSantis advocated reversing Parkland-era gun restrictions, such as lowering the rifle purchase age from 21 to 18. While the House passed such a bill, the Senate, led by Albritton, resisted, citing support for the existing “red flag” law. This failure highlighted legislative pushback against DeSantis’ conservative priorities. 

• E-Verify Mandate: 

• A DeSantis priority to require all employers to use E-Verify for worker eligibility passed the House but stalled in the Senate, marking another defeat for his immigration agenda. 

• Budget Delays: 

• The session ended without a finalized budget, forcing a five-week extension to June 6. Disagreements over spending—Perez and Albritton pushed for restraint, while DeSantis’ proposal was higher, with delayed progress. This reflected broader tensions over fiscal priorities. 

• Rural Renaissance Package: 

• Albritton’s $200 million plan to boost rural counties failed to pass, despite being a Senate priority, due to budget constraints and competing agendas. It remains under consideration for the extended session. 

Role of Republican Dissension 

The session’s failures were driven by a fractured Republican Party, with several factors amplifying discord: 

• DeSantis’ Lame-Duck Status: As a term-limited governor with only two years left, DeSantis faced diminished influence, especially after his failed 2024 presidential bid. Lawmakers, eyeing the 2026 gubernatorial race (with Casey DeSantis and others like Byron Donalds as contenders), prioritized their legacies over DeSantis’ agenda. 

• Perez’s Independence: Speaker Perez, a Miami Republican, emerged as a formidable rival, openly challenging DeSantis on issues like immigration, taxes, and condo relief. His accusations of DeSantis “lying” about the House budget and having “temper tantrums” escalated tensions. Perez’s fiscal conservatism and oversight of DeSantis’ agencies (e.g., probing Hope Florida) signaled a co-equal legislative branch, a shift from prior sessions. 

• Senate Pushback: Albritton, while less confrontational, resisted DeSantis on gun laws and special sessions, prioritizing rural initiatives and legislative autonomy. His support for Trump-aligned policies further sidelined DeSantis. 

• Trump’s Influence: Trump’s dominance in the GOP, including his endorsement of Byron Donalds for 2026, emboldened lawmakers to align with him over DeSantis, evident in symbolic bills and immigration compromises. 

Summary of Election Integrity Issues in the 2025 Florida Legislative Session 

The 2025 Florida legislative session, extended to June 6, 2025, addressed several election integrity measures, primarily driven by Governor Ron DeSantis’ push to reform the citizen-initiated constitutional amendment process following 2024’s failed marijuana and abortion ballot measures. The key outcome was the passage of HB 1205, signed by DeSantis, which tightens petition-gathering rules. It requires petition collectors to register with the state, imposes felony penalties for collecting over 25 non-family petitions without registration, mandates background checks, and requires sponsors to post $1 million bonds. Supporters, including Republicans like Rep. Jenna Persons and Sen. Erin Grall, argue it prevents fraud. At the same time, critics, including Democrats and advocacy groups like the ACLU of Florida, contend it restricts voter access and burdens grassroots campaigns. Legal challenges from “liberal dark money groups” are underway, as noted by GOP Chair Evan Power. 

Other proposed election integrity bills saw mixed results: 

• SB 390 (Sen. Ileana Garcia) and HB 831 (Reps. Berny Jacques and Chase Tremont) aimed to enhance voter eligibility verification and mandate law enforcement supervision of ballot boxes, motivated by 2022 election security concerns. These bills did not pass, reflecting limited legislative appetite for additional voting restrictions. 

• SB 1414 (Sen. Blaise Ingoglia) proposed eliminating third-party petition collection and requiring direct submission to the Supervisors of Elections, but it stalled, indicating resistance to sweeping changes. 

• A bill to centralize voting system development (SB 394) also failed to advance, leaving current systems intact. 

• Outcome: HB 1205 significantly tightens ballot initiative rules, aligning with DeSantis’ election integrity goals. Other proposed reforms faltered due to legislative pushback and competing priorities. The session’s extension may allow further discussion, but no additional election bills are confirmed for passage. 

Impact of Republican Dissension: Tensions between DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez, who prioritized fiscal issues over some of DeSantis’ agenda, contributed to the failure of broader election reforms. The Legislature’s focus on HB 1205 as a compromise highlights Perez’s influence in tempering DeSantis’s more aggressive proposals. They allege loopholes in election bills, reflecting distrust among some conservatives, though these claims lack substantiation. 

State Representative Juan Carlos Porras, who touts himself as the youngest state representative in the Florida Legislature, has emerged as a staunch ally of Speaker Perez. Recently, Porras openly attacked Governor DeSantis on Spanish-language radio, criticizing his leadership and policies. This public dissent highlights the growing factionalism within the Republican Party, with younger legislators like Porras aligning themselves with Perez's assertive independence and challenging DeSantis' authority. Porras' vocal opposition on a prominent platform underscores the deepening rift and the shifting dynamics within the Florida GOP. 

Miami Beach’s State Representative Fabian Basabe opines about the extended legislative session: "This session has been intense, but that's what happens when voters demand more than the status quo. They didn't choose routine. They chose strength, purpose, and results. That takes time, real debate, and hard decisions. 

I respect the Governor's work, and I respect the Speaker's discipline in defending the House when it mattered most. 

The $56 million override wasn't about defiance. It was about protecting the legislative branch and keeping government running. The funds support essential operations like legal, accounting, HR, and the work of OPPAGA, EDR, JAPC, JLAC, and the Historic Capitol. This appropriation hadn't increased in years. 

We're in extended session because reform doesn't follow a news cycle. It takes work. I'm here not just as a legislator but as a parent, a resident, and a voter. That's who I serve. That's who I answer to."  We may never know what’s being said behind closed doors, but one thing is certain: the Florida Legislative Conclave won’t have the doors opened and the orange smoke released until there’s a budget both the Executive and Legislative branches can agree on. 

Perez’s Havana Trips and Communist Sympathizer Allegations 

The claim that Perez is a “communist sympathizer” due to honeymooning in Havana and taking multiple trips to Cuba lacks substantive evidence in available sources. No direct references confirm or link Perez’s travel history to his political stance. However, such allegations likely stem from political rhetoric amid the DeSantis-Perez feud, given Florida’s anti-communist sentiment and Cuban-American voter base. Perez’s actions—pushing conservative policies like tax cuts, immigration enforcement, and budget oversight—contradict communist sympathies. For example, he championed a “most conservative” immigration bill and accused DeSantis of overreach, aligning with GOP fiscal conservatism. These allegations appear unsubstantiated attacks, possibly fueled by DeSantis allies like Rep. Joel Rudman, who criticized Perez’s leadership as insufficiently conservative. Without primary evidence (e.g., travel records or policy statements), this claim should be treated skeptically as political mudslinging.  Whether genuine or not, Perez is flashing the Conservative card loud and clear. 

The 2017 Havana Trip 

The primary source of controversy is Perez’s 2017 trip to Havana, where he took engagement photos with his fiancée, now wife, Stephanie. According to reports, Perez traveled with a Miami photography team to capture images amid Havana’s “ruins and beauty,” leveraging the city’s “shabby-chic” aesthetic. Critics, notably Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago, argue this trip reflects hypocrisy, given Perez’s anti-communist rhetoric and the Cuban-American community’s sensitivity to engagement with Cuba’s regime. The trip was criticized for exploiting Havana’s decay, with Santiago noting Perez “didn’t have ethical issues” or considering Bay of Pigs veterans, whom he later honored. 

Perez defended the trip as a family visit to deliver medicine to his fiancée’s sick uncle, stating, “I am 100 percent against the Cuban government and everything it stands for, but I was not going to let my fiancée go to Cuba alone.” His parents, Cuban exiles, corroborated this, saying they requested the photos during the visit. Despite the controversy, Perez won a 2017 special election and subsequent races, suggesting the issue did not significantly harm his political career among Miami-Dade voters. 

Allegations of Multiple Trips 

As suggested in the user's query, claims of Perez making “myriad trips” to Cuba are not substantiated by primary sources. Recent posts on X, such as one from  

@realDorisC11 on May 3, 2025, alleges Perez made “several trips to Cuba with ill-will intentions to betray our country” and labels him a “Cuban agent.” However, these claims lack evidence beyond the 2017 trip and appear to be politically motivated exaggerations. No credible reports confirm additional visits, and Perez’s public record does not indicate further travel to Cuba. 

Communist Sympathizer Allegations 

The accusation that Perez is a “communist sympathizer” stems mainly from his 2017 Havana trip and has been amplified by political opponents. Critics, including Santiago and some Cuban hard-liners like Marcell Felipe in 2020, argue that a Democrat taking such a trip would be branded a communist and politically ruined, highlighting a perceived double standard for Republicans like Perez. However, no evidence suggests Perez holds communist sympathies. His legislative record and public statements align with conservative, anti-communist positions: 

• Legislative Actions: Perez championed a hardline immigration bill in 2025, supported tax cuts, and backed symbolic anti-communist measures like renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state references. These align with Republican priorities and contradict communist ideology. 

• Rhetoric: Perez echoes Governor Ron DeSantis’ framing of Florida as a bulwark against socialism and communism, using platforms like X to promote anti-communist messaging. Critics argue this is performative to deflect from his Cuba trip, but it reinforces his public stance. 

The “communist sympathizer” label appears to be a rhetorical attack, leveraging Miami’s exile community’s anti-communist sentiment. For example, during the 2020 primary, opponent Gabriel Garcia, backed by Felipe, attacked Perez’s Cuba trip. Still, Perez won with endorsements from anti-communist figures like Senator Marco Rubio and former Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart.  We suspect that given Perez’s youth in 2017 and not having been raised in the Miami Cuban community, he was a bit tone deaf to the old Guard Cubans who would never go back to Cuba unless the hero horn was blown and a fresh assault was being made by Brigade 2506 on the beaches of Varadero.   

Critical Analysis 

The 2025 session reflects a power shift in Florida’s GOP, with Perez and Albritton leveraging their roles to counter DeSantis’ once-dominant influence. The failures—particularly on property taxes, insurance, and condo relief—highlight a Legislature prioritizing voter-facing issues (e.g., affordability) over DeSantis’ ideological goals (e.g., gun laws, Hope Florida). The Havana allegations against Perez seem distracting, lacking evidence, and inconsistent with his record. However, the session’s extension offers a chance to resolve budget disputes and revisit failed priorities, though DeSantis’ veto power looms large. The establishment narrative portrays DeSantis as weakened, but his national conservative clout and potential 2028 ambitions suggest he remains a force, albeit one now checked by a bolder Legislature.  It is being said in the Tequesta homeland that the disloyalty to the man who swept them into office in 2022, Governor DeSantis, with an overwhelming reelection tally, should not be disrespected in the current session.  Please sit down, hammer it out privately, and finish it.   

Conclusion 

The 2025 Florida legislative session achieved modest successes in immigration, tax cuts, and Trump-aligned measures. Still, it was defined by failures in property tax reform, insurance, condo relief, and other DeSantis priorities due to Republican dissension. Perez’s leadership and Albritton’s restraint departed from DeSantis’ prior dominance, driven by his lame-duck status and Trump’s overshadowing influence. Allegations against Perez regarding Havana trips lack credibility without evidence. The extended session may address some unresolved issues, but the GOP’s internal fractures will likely persist into 2026.