State lawmakers only have one thing they must do each year and that is to pass a balanced budget. Yet, there are plenty of issues to keep lawmakers busy this year.

Florida Matters offers a preview of the “other” issues lawmakers will tackle this session featuring insights from Mary Ellen Klas, who covers state politics for the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau, Senator Tom Lee, a Republican from Brandon who served as Senate President from 2004-2006, and freshman state Representative Mark Danish, a seventh grade science teacher and Democrat representing the New Tampa area.

Some of the topics discussed include voting reforms, education funding, how to manage proposed increases in the state-run Citizens Property Insurance, ethics and efforts to have a more harmonious legislative session which starts March 5th.

Committee meetings start up again beginning January 14th in Tallahassee. And there will be a hearing into the 2012 election problems and solutions on Monday as well.