2026 Florida Civics and Debate Day at the Capitol

Tallahassee, Fla., February 17, 2026 – The Florida Civics and Debate (FCDI) Day at the Capitol was held February 17, in Tallahassee, to provide more than 100 speech and debate student leaders, coaches and parents the opportunity to experience state government firsthand during the 2026 legislative session. Participants were fully immersed in learning about the legislative process, from participating in a mock session on the Florida Capitol’s House Chamber floor, to touring the Florida Supreme Court and hearing from state leaders such as Senator Jonathan Martin, Senator Erin Grall, Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur, former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, 2026 Teacher of the Year Mark Harrison and several lobbyists. The students, coaches and parents ended the day with the opportunity to observe the Florida House of Representatives in live legislative session and explore the Capitol.

To learn more about the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, visit the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative website.