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Individuals and businesses can expect to see COVID relief coming from Washington after lawmakers agreed on a nearly $900 billion stimulus package, and more help could be coming through the state next year when the Florida Legislature starts its 2021 session.

Lawmakers on pandemic committees in both the House and Senate are already floating ideas for what they hope to accomplish.

After finishing up the 2020 session in March, the Florida Legislature has had essentially no role in responding to the pandemic.

“There’s no question that we have a lot of work to do,” said State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith.

Smith will serve on the House’s Pandemics and Public Emergencies Committee.

He said he hopes to see the Legislature provide financial relief to small businesses and help Floridians who have fallen behind on rent and utilities.

“States like Virginia for example passed $100 million in utility relief,” said Smith.

State Senator Danny Burgess is chairing the Senate’s pandemic committee.

He’s advocating for liability protections for businesses, to prevent frivolous pandemic related lawsuits.

“We just need to make sure that we’re doing what we can to allow others to feel comfortable opening their doors and to continue to build on our economy,” said Burgess.

Along with relief, the committees will also be looking at the state’s response to the pandemic to better prepare for a similar threat in the future.

“We also need to think long term. And long term, not if this happens again, but when this happens again. Because viruses were here before us and viruses are going to be here after us,” said Burgess.

And part of that will include looking at the use of emergency powers by local governments and the Governor.

“There needs to be more stakeholders at the table. More people providing oversight and input,” said Smith.

So far none of these proposals have actually been filed as legislation, but the lawmakers we spoke with told us there are already drafts in the works.

Both pandemic response committees will meet for the first time on January 14th.