Republican legislative leaders in Florida have given up trying to draw new congressional boundaries that can win Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ signature and, in an unprecedented move, announced Monday that they intend to essentially cede this constitutional power to the executive branch.
In a joint statement, state House Speaker Chris Sprowls and state Senate President Wilton Simpson said legislative staff will not draft a new map for lawmakers to consider when they convene in Tallahassee next week for a special session on redistricting. Instead, the legislative leaders announced they intend to let DeSantis decide how to reapportion the state’s 28 congressional districts for the next decade.