This is Seeking Rents, a newsletter and podcast devoted to producing original journalism — and lifting up the work of others — about Florida politics, with an emphasis on the ways that big businesses and other special interests influence public policy in the state. Seeking Rents is produced by veteran investigative journalist Jason Garcia, and it is free to all. But please consider a voluntary paid subscription, if you can afford one, to help support our work. And check out our video channel, too.
Editor’s note: The 2026 session of the Florida Legislature is underway, so we have temporarily turned our weekly “Florida in Five” feature into a roundup of news, notes and bill movements from the session.
Over the final three months of 2025, Republican leaders in the state House and Senate raised a bit more than $15 million combined into the campaign committees that they will use later this year to finance advertising, polling and staffing on behalf of GOP candidates running in legislative elections across the state.
More than 10 percent of that cash came from a single donor: Ken Griffin, the hedge-fund billionaire who has obliterated Florida’s political fundraising record book since moving from Chicago to Miami nearly four years ago.
Recently released campaign finance reports show that Griffin, who has an estimated net worth of $52 billion, gave $1 million each last month to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.
No other individual donor came anywhere close to that level of giving. The No. 2 contributor to the two caucuses — monopoly utility Duke Energy — gave a little more than $1 million combined. The parent company of fellow monopoly utility Florida Power & Light gave roughly $575,000 to the two GOP leadership committees. Big Sugar grower Florida Crystals and an affiliated mining company gave about $475,000.
Outsized campaign contributions have helped Griffin gain influence in Tallahassee. Records obtained by Seeking Rents show that lobbyists for Griffin helped write and pass two of the most controversial laws to come out of the Capitol during last year’s legislation session.
One of those new laws is intended to help financial firms — like Griffin’s firm, Citadel — lock employees into longer and stronger non-compete contracts. The other expanded a school privatization program known as “Schools of Hope,” enabling publicly subsidized, privately run charter schools to move into more neighborhoods and co-locate inside traditional public schools without paying any rent.
A spokesperson for Griffin declined to say what prompted Griffin’s latest legislative donations or say whether the billionaire is lobbying for or against anything in particular during the 2026 session, which began last week. But Griffin remains engaged on public policy.
“Ken is committed to advancing policies that enhance the quality of life for Floridians — through strong education, economic opportunity, and safe, thriving communities,” Griffin spokesperson Zia Ahmed said. “Florida’s success as a place to live and work offers a compelling model for the rest of the country.”
Billionaire charter-school boosters
Ken Griffin made one other notable donation at the state level near the end of last year: A $250,000 contribution to a political committee linked to Success Academy, the New York charter school chain that worked with Griffin’s lobbying team to pass last year’s Schools of Hope legislation.
Griffin is one of several pro-charter school billionaires have put money into the “Excellent Public Schools PAC.” Others include Bruce Kovner, John Paulson and Roger Hertog — all of whom are, like Griffin, big Success Academy boosters — as well as Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who serves on the board of the foundation that runs KIPP charter schools. KIPP is also taking advantage of the new Schools of Hope law.
The PAC has in turn been spreading that billionaire cash to key figures in the Florida Legislature. That includes giving $50,000 last month to Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the incoming Senate president, and $25,000 to Rep. Jennifer Canady, a future House speaker who worked closely with Griffin and Success Academy lobbyists last session.
A giant landowner’s largesse
Finally, a couple of quick campaign-finance updates to a pair of recent Seeking Rents stories.
Earlier this month, we reported that companies controlled by Ruane Cunniff — a multibillion-dollar firm in New York that manages mutual funds, hedge funds and another investment vehicles — have quietly amassed more than 80,000 acres of largely rural land across north Florida and are now lobbying state lawmakers to pass legislation that would make it much easier to rezone all that land for commercial development.
Updated campaign-finance filings show that one of the firm’s land-owning entities — Jax-Palatka Farms LLC — has given at least $280,000 to Florida politicians in the two months since the legislation it is lobbying for was filed in Tallahassee (House Bill 299 and Senate Bill 354).
In addition the contributions reported in the original story, more recent records show that Jax-Palatka Farms also gave $50,000 to the Republican Party of Florida, $50,000 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and $25,000 to Sen. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City), a future Senate president whose district includes a significant portion of Ruane Cunniff’s Florida holdings.
The company didn’t just drop cash on Republicans, though. The records show that Jax-Palatka Farms also gave $10,000 to the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the caucus fund for Senate Democrats. It’s currently controlled by Sen. Tracie Davis, a Democrat from Jacksonville who is expected to become Senate Democratic Leader after this year’s elections.
Senate Bill 354 got its first hearing in the Senate last week — and both Democrats on the Senate Community Affairs Committee voted for it. The sole vote against came from Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Republican from Naples who served as Senate president during the 2023 and 2024 sessions and is in her final session in the Senate.
Propaganda for profit
We also had another story earlier this month revealing that a for-profit education-and-propaganda company connected to Mike Huckabee — the former Arkansas governor and current U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Donald Trump — is lobbying for nearly $1.5 million in taxpayer money to develop a new anti-communism curriculum for Florida public schools.
The proposed budget earmarks have been submitted by Rep. Mike Redondo (R-Miami) and by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Miami).
Updated campaign-finance reports show that one of Huckabee’s related companies — Learn Our History LLC — recently gave $5,000 each to both lawmakers, via fundraising committees they control.
That’s in addition to the $30,000 in near-simultaneous contributions reported in the original story — which included $5,000 apiece for the PreK-12 education budget chairs in the House and Senate and $10,000 apiece for future presiding officers in both chambers.
Billtrack
In honor of the best show on TV, here’s a look at some of the bills on the move from the past week of session:
House Bill 133: Lowers the legal age to buy a gun from 21 to 18, undoing a key gun-safety reform enacted by Florida leaders following the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Passed the House of Representatives by a 74-37 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 167: Makes it more difficult to sue the Mosaic Co. and other phosphate mining firms over claims related to radiation exposure on previously mined lands. Passed the House of Representatives by an 87-24 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 208: Makes it more difficult for local governments to block residential development projects over concerns about “compatibility” with surrounding residential areas. Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 10-0 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 289: Grants fertilized eggs some of the same legal rights as living children and allows anyone who impregnated someone else to sue for the loss or termination of a pregnancy from the moment of conception if they allege wrongdoing. Passed the House of Representatives by a 76-34 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 290: Makes it easier for the sugar industry and other agribusinesses to pursue defamation lawsuits against environmental groups, news outlets and food-safety activists. Passed the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee by a 17-3 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 354: Enables owners of giant tracts of land 10,000 acres or more in size to have their property automatically rezoned for commercial development without a vote by the county commission or town council in the community where the development would occur. Passed Senate Community Affairs by 7-1 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 429: Gives law enforcement more ways to designate a criminal suspect as a member of a gang, including by citing the use of “gang-related language” on social media. Passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee by a 16-0 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 479: Forbids local communities from establishing wetland buffers — which prohibit development within a certain distance of wetlands — that would be stronger than the statewide minimums. Passed the House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee by an 11-5 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 536: Gives law enforcement more ways to designate a criminal suspect as a member of a gang, including by citing the use of “gang-related language” on social media. Passed the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday by a 6-2 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 655: Gives property owners and local government leaders more ability to negotiate in secret when discussing a potential settlement to a claim under the Bert J. Harris Act. Passed the House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee by a 17-0 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 754: Exempts Philip Morris’ IQOS nicotine device and other heated tobacco products from state tobacco taxes. Passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee by a 9-0 vote (vote sheet)
Senate Bill 838: Allows auto lenders to charge “processing fees” when car buyers make loan payments by credit card or other electronic payment system. Passed the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee by a 10-0 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 881: Lets thoroughbred racing tracks end live horse-racing without losing their license for other gambling activities like slots and poker. Passed the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee by a 10-5 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 6003: Repeals Florida’s so-called “free kill” law which currently blocks wrongful death lawsuits by parents of childless adult children who die as a result of medical malpractice or by adult children of parents who die as a result of medical malpractice. Passed the House of Representatives by an 88-17 vote (vote sheet)
House Bill 7009: Makes permanent a public-records exemption that allows the Public Service Commission to close parts of public hearings in which there will be discussion of a utility company’s “proprietary” business information. Passed the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee by a 15-1 vote (vote sheet)
The week ahead
Tuesday
The Senate Children, Family and Elder Affairs Committee will hear Senate Bill 1010, which would allow people to sue teachers, principals, school nurses or any other public employee or government agency accused of violating the state’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights” law. The legislation would also authorize the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute public employees under that law and healthcare providers under a separate law prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. The meeting begins at 9:30 am. (Contact committee members)
The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will hear House Bill 743, which would threaten felony criminal charges against anyone who helps a doctor provide gender-affirming care to minors and also authorize the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute healthcare providers under the law. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. (Contact committee members)
The Senate Community Affairs Committee will hear Senate Bill 548, which would help developers trying to stop a local government from raising impact fees by requiring that the local government pay the developer’s attorney fees if the developer wins in court. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. (Contact committee members)
The Senate Community Affairs Committee will also hear Senate Bill 686, which would make it easier for developers to build new homes on farm land that is next to an existing development.
Wednesday
The House Commerce Committee will hear House Bill 433, the so-called “Farm Bill” that would, among other things, make it easier for the sugar industry to sue environmental groups, news outlets and food-safety activists for defamation. The meeting begins at 8 am. (Contact committee members)
The House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee will hear House Bill 105, which would empower businesses to sue in order to stop local governments from enforcing local rules and ordinances. The meeting begins at 9:15 am. (Contact committee members)
The Senate Transportation, Tourism & Economic Development Appropriations Committee will hear Senate Bill 216, which would give businesses and state officials more ways to deny unemployment benefits to laid-off workers. The meeting begins at 11 am. (Contact committee members)
The House Education Administration Subcommittee will hear House Bill 1119, which would forbid local school districts from considering the literary or artistic merits of a book that someone wants banned from school libraries. The bill would also allow the State Board of Education to withhold funding from school districts that do not ban books that state officials deem inappropriate. The meeting begins at 4 pm. (Contact committee members)
Note: The House notices committee meetings two days ahead of time, while the Senate notices them three days in advance. Click here to find the complete daily calendars in the Florida House of Representatives, and click here for the daily calendars for the Florida Senate.
Reading list
The ‘Godfather’ of Gator Nation: Mori Hosseini has long been the most powerful person at the University of Florida. Can he prevent a MAGA takeover? (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
DeSantis sidelines longtime ally after UF feud to appease top donor (Miami Herald) ($)
One million Floridians won’t have full representation for high-stakes legislative session (The Tributary)
Before ascending to Florida Supreme Court, judge backed DeSantis’ redistricting push (The Tributary)
As rumors swirl about ICE surge in Orlando, jail numbers show it already might be happening (Orlando Sentinel) ($)
Florida elections offices audited over marijuana amendment petitions (Tampa Bay Times) ($)
Phosphate giant turns to Florida Legislature for help thwarting lawsuits (Florida Phoenix)
Proposal to block community feedback for mega developments runs into trouble (WFTV)
Despite controversy and grand jury probe, DeSantis touts Hope Florida as success (Miami Herald) ($)
Maxwell: Florida’s CFO post needs watchdogs, not lapdogs and buffoonery (Orlando Sentinel) ($)
How do we get big money out of politics when big money is paying the politicians not to let that happen? I love my paradise but I sure hate it's politicians. They are ruining it.
With all of the development these insane laws will permit, our « paradise » is going to look like something out of Bladerunner.