Welcome to

Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson said he would use his discretion to send the controversial HB1 anti-riot legislation, already approved by the House, to the full Appropriations Committee rather than Criminal Justice, where the Senate version of the bill has been bottled up.

Simpson said the referral will give both sides a chance to make their arguments.

“And about half of the Senate is on the Budget Committee, so I just think that is the appropriate place to send it to so it can be fully vetted before it comes to the floor,” said Simpson.

But without the referral, the anti-riot legislation would likely have died in the Senate Criminal Justice committee, where there are not enough votes to pass it.

Nor are two thirds of the Senate supporting the anti-riot bill, so there aren’t enough votes to waive Senate rules.