TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — It will be a big week in Tallahassee as new Gov. Ron DeSantis makes his first State of the State address on Tuesday.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis to deliver State of the State Address
- Address continues busy 1st 100 days for new governor
- Watch LIVE Spectrum News coverage of the State of the State Address, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday
- Florida Decides
- Florida Government Guide
DeSantis will detail more plans for his agenda, which has gotten off to a busy start since he took office in January.
Tuesday's appearance will be DeSantis' first before a joint session of the Florida Legislature. It's likely he will be asking for additional funds to finance various programs.
"I want to think if we're five or 10 years into the future, are we spending money now in a way that we look back and say, 'Yeah, it's a good thing that they really tackled that?' " DeSantis said in a recent speech.
And in a break with the past, many state lawmakers are on board.
Republican Senate President Bill Galvano said DeSantis is more engaged with the legislature than his predecessor, Rick Scott.
And that could pay dividends for the new governor.
"What helps his influence with the legislature is the respect he has for the process," said Senate President Sen. Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton). "I think a good bit of that comes from having served in a legislative body himself, albeit a very ineffective one, but he knows that we have to work together."
DeSantis will be asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for everything from education to the environment and public safety. It will be up to lawmakers to approve it.
Even for a first-year governor, getting everything asked for is rare.
Watch LIVE coverage of the State of the State Tuesday on Spectrum News starting at 11:30 a.m.