Proposal to move 2018 Session to January heads to House floor

Mark your calendar, changes could be coming to the 2018 Legislative Session.

The House State Affairs Committee OK’d a proposal (HB 7103) that moves the start of the 2018 session up to January. The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Jeanette Nunez, a Miami Republican, sailed through the committee on Thursday.

In odd-number years, the state constitution requires the Legislature to begin on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. The constitution also allows the Legislature to set the dates in even number years. Lawmakers did that in 2014, when they decided to start the 2016 Session in January.

Under Nunez’s proposal, the 2018 session would convene on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Lawmakers, many of which have children, have said the move stems from a desire to be home with their families during spring break. But Tallahassee business owners have said the early session has been a mixed bag their businesses.

The bill now heads to the House floor. Its Senate companion is SB 7076.