Florida Budget Standoff Pushes Talks Beyond Session Deadline

Overview

• The competing plans stand at about $113.6 billion in the House versus $115 billion in the Senate, reflecting a fundamental split over overall spending levels, House Speaker Daniel Perez said.
• Florida’s 72-hour budget posting rule makes it impossible to finalize a deal by Friday under the current pace, confirming the need for overtime.
• Education remains a key sticking point, with roughly a $300 million gap for K-12 and a dispute over whether to count about $4.5 billion in private-school scholarships inside the main funding formula.
• Compensation and benefits divide the chambers, as the Senate backs a 3% across-the-board raise plus targeted boosts while the House favors targeted raises and a prescription formulary projected to save about $126 million annually.
• Policy priorities also diverge across conservation (Florida Forever funded at $35 million in the Senate and zero in the House; Rural and Family Lands at $200 million Senate and $300 million House), housing ($510.2 million in the Senate versus less in the House), citrus research ($204.5 million Senate and $4 million House), the emergency fund ($250 million Senate and $100 million House with tighter controls), and the Jobs Growth Grant ($50 million Senate and none in the House).