Florida Legislature announces 19-day special session

Florida Legislature leaders will plan to hold a 19-day special session this fall.  

House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner announced on Monday that an official special session to reconstruct the state’s 40 Senate districts would begin at noon on Oct. 19 and last until Nov. 6.

This summer the Senate acknowledged that it violated the state constitution by creating maps that benefit Republicans and incumbents.

Legislators held a rare August special session to draw up new congressional districts, but the House and Senate deadlocked over the issue.  

Voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2010 requiring compact political districts that don’t benefit parties or incumbents. 

Republicans have a 26-14 majority in the state Senate. The fate of the districts is going to be eventually decided by the Florida Supreme Court.