Perez reminded Floridians (and DeSantis) that the Legislature has power, too | Opinion

I’ve known Florida House Speaker Danny Perez since 2018, when he was newly elected to represent his western Miami-Dade County legislative district. He always struck me as a person who kept his focus even under pressure, but when he became speaker, I wasn’t sure what his term would hold. In politics, you never know how the office will affect the candidate. But the speakership didn’t change Perez; Perez changed the office.

Perez reasserted the Legislature as a co-equal branch of government as our founding fathers intended.

For years, the Florida Legislature has been in lockstep with Gov. Ron DeSantis. Legislative sessions have brought wins for the governor’s agenda, often with minimal or no push back. But this session, Perez upended the status quo.

In an interview with the New York Times, Perez said he wanted the Legislature “to be a coequal branch of government.” In the 2025 legislative session, Perez achieved just that. The Legislature served as a check on the executive branch, a welcome change for Florida.

From the start of his term as speaker, Perez made it clear: The Legislature would no longer be a rubber stamp for DeSantis’ agenda. Instead, lawmakers would exercise principled oversight and serve as a constitutional check, helping to restore the balance of power in Tallahassee.

That independence was quickly tested. DeSantis called a special session on immigration in January to show President Donald Trump he could deliver on the administration’s iimmigration policy. Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, pushed back in a joint memo calling the session “premature” and reminding DeSantis, “the Legislature, not the Governor, will decide when and what legislation we consider.”

The Legislature then called its own special session on the same day, ultimately passing the TRUMP Act (Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy Act) to address illegal immigration. The days of legislative deference were over.

When DeSantis began pushing during the session for the elimination of property taxes without a clear plan, Perez didn’t follow blindly. He created a Select Committee on Property Taxes to study the issues and draft a constitutional amendment that could be on the ballot next November. That’s how good policy is made, with a measured approach, not through soundbites or campaign-style promises.

When questions surrounding First Lady Casey DeSantis’ nonprofit, Hope Florida, arose, Perez didn’t turn a blind eye. He called for an investigation.

Critics may view the legislative inquiry as a hit job but the initial findings suggest there was merit to the investigation. Legislative oversight matters and checks and balances should be the norm, not the exception.

Of course, the 2025 legislative session wasn’t without its setbacks for Perez and lawmakers. Despite a lengthy session due to an impasse on the budget, the Legislature fell short on its promises of making Florida more affordable, and failed to tackle the condo crisis. And Perez’s proposal to reduce the state sales tax didn’t go anywhere.

However, Perez’s attempt at institutional reform succeeded, at least this year. He transformed the legislative branch from an enabler of expanding executive power to an independent branch unafraid to serve as a check on the governor.

The inevitable tension between DeSantis and Perez during the legislative session wasn’t a sign of dysfunction — it was democracy in action. Our founding fathers wanted a separation of powers to prevent one branch from having too much power. Perez’s leadership has exemplified this approach. He has encouraged the Legislature to exercise deliberation versus knee-jerk reactions with half-baked policies.

Perez isn’t afraid to wield his legislative power and stand on principles when it matters. And in today’s Republican party, that’s rare. Perez didn’t just meet the moment — he reshaped it, creating a stronger legislative branch, and paved the way for better governance in Florida.

Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this column incorrectly described the tax reduction that House Speaker Daniel Perez proposed during the 2025 legislative session. He proposed cutting the state sales tax.

This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM.