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TALLAHASSEE The 60-day legislative session is nearly over. Lawmakers could agree Friday on the one thing that they are required to do, pass Floridas state budget, and go home.

But no matter what happens next, the 2021 session has already felt more consequential than recent sessions. Perhaps not since the 2011 session, when tea party Republicans flexed their muscle after being swept into office for the first time, have so many important and divisive bills been passed.

Heres what happened.

The Florida Legislature approved along party lines a multitude of changes to the states elections laws Thursday night, including a ban on possessing multiple vote by mail ballots and restrictions on the use of ballot drop boxes.

Relenting on a number of ideas that were strongly opposed by county elections supervisors and Democrats, the bill now heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis desk is far less onerous than what Republicans were proposing over the last month.

The bill does not ban drop boxes, an idea DeSantis endorsed earlier this year.

Despite warnings from opponents that the state is asking for more than it can handle, Florida legislators sent bills to the governor this week that preempted local government regulation of utilities and clean energy regulation.

Each of the efforts was opposed by local governments and environmental organizations, especially those in major urban areas which have been more aggressive than the Florida Legislature in advancing policies with sustainable energy practices. They say that local communities are better suited to make those decisions.

Clearly the theme of the 2021 Florida legislative session is taking power away from Floridians and consolidating it within the Legislature,' said Michelle Allen of Food and Water Watch, an environmental advocacy group on Thursday.

A Miami state senator on Thursday tried to emulate the vaccine passport initiative but in reverse, sponsoring a proposal to prevent schools and businesses from requiring people to not get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami, filed an amendment after he said state education officials told him Centner Academy did not violate any policy or law when it informed parents of its anti-vaccination policy for teachers and staff and spread misinformation to children about the potential risks of vaccination.

So right now, this is it. My district is counting on us to push back against this quackery, Pizzo said.

The amendment failed on a 19-19 vote, keeping the proposal off the underlying bill, which includes a ban on vaccine passports sought by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Senate Health Policy Chairman Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, did not vote, though they were in the Capitol on Thursday. Three Republicans Sen. Jeff Brandes, of St. Petersburg, Senate Education Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, of Sarasota, and Sen. George Gainer, of Panama City joined Democrats in favor of the amendment.

HB 7051 passed the Senate with a unanimous vote Thursday. It now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature.

Tucked into a contentious bill that passed Wednesday night that included a ban on transgender athletes from womens and girls sports was an amendment that will delay, for a year, a much-publicized reckoning for college athletes.

Last year, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that would give athletes the right to make money off their likeness photos or autographs that produce revenue. Considered landmark legislation for correcting what many considered a gross inequity, Florida led the nation in this type of legislation. It was to go into effect July 1, 2021, far ahead of states like California and Colorado.

I really think it is Florida leading the way on this, DeSantis said last year.

Welp. Lawmakers added three lines last night in a massive education bill that delayed the legislation from taking effect. For one year.

It didnt take long for the backlash.

FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton, a former UCF star, said he has faith in DeSantis to make this right!

Even U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz weighed in.

Lawmakers for years have considered changing state law requiring local jurisdictions to publish legal notices in certain newspapers, like the Tampa Bay Times.

On Thursday, they passed a bill that does just that. Heres how.

Senators consider new training standards for law enforcement officers under a bill thats a response to the national reckoning on policing practices after the killing of George Floyd. Theyll take up HB 7051. which passed the Florida House 113-0 and has been a rare example of bipartisanship.

The bill sets statewide use-of-force standards for Florida law enforcement officers. It targets the use of choke holds, adds more oversight on investigations into deaths caused by police and requires officers to be trained on de-escalation techniques.

This is the sort of work product that we come up with when were willing to put partisanship aside and try to focus on policy that will help make our communities safer, said Tampa Democratic Rep. Fentrice Driskell, who, on behalf of the Houses Black Caucus, led negotiations on the legislation with House Republican leaders.

But some Senate Democrats have voiced concerns that the legislation doesnt go far enough.

Democrats make up just 16 of 40 senators in the upper chamber and have struggled to matter this year. On Wednesday, they replaced their leader, Gary Farmer, a Lighthouse Point lawyer, with Lauren Book, a childrens advocate from Plantation.

They meet this morning to discuss the upcoming floor session.

The Florida House last week sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill that gives the agriculture industry protection from lawsuits related to long-term health damage. Supporters of the measure, including the sugar industry, call the legislation Right to Farm. Opponents argue the measure gives growers immunity from practices that might harm nearby residents.

DeSantis signed the bill Thursday morning.

The Florida Senate may take up for the final time an overhaul of the states automobile insurance laws.

On Monday, the Florida House voted 99-11 to repeal the states no-fault laws and require every motorist to carry bodily injury coverage, a move that could lower rates for some, but raise rates for others. Who wins? Who loses? Nobody really knows.

The Florida House voted Wednesday for an overhaul of the states elections system. It includes a requirement that voters present ID when leaving vote by mail ballots in drop boxes.

The bill now goes back to the Florida Senate, which has approved its own overhaul of the states system.

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Heres what happened Thursday in the Florida Legislative session - Tampa Bay Times