Overview
- House leaders abandoned a natural‑disasters‑only approach and added language to permit spending on manmade and technological emergencies, which House Speaker Danny Perez said covers immigration enforcement, with Legislative Budget Commission review required for each emergency extension.
- Guardrails in the House plan include quarterly sworn spending reports, a prohibition on using the fund to buy aircraft, boats, or vehicles, and a requirement that federal reimbursements flow to general revenue rather than back into the trust.
- The fund expired on Feb. 17 after the chambers failed to agree, leaving the governor without immediate access to the account and sending roughly $200 million in remaining balance back to general revenue until lawmakers reauthorize a replacement.
- The Senate previously approved an extension through 2027 without the House’s restrictions and proposes a $250 million refill, while the House ties its stricter framework to a $100 million deposit; Gov. Ron DeSantis has sought $500 million and fewer limits.
- A state report shows $573 million from the fund has gone to immigration efforts since 2023, including detention sites dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” and “Deportation Depot,” private flights, restaurant expenses, outside legal fees, and a $92 million payment to vendor Doodie Calls, with about $608 million in FEMA reimbursements approved but not yet received due to federal holds.