Florida Leaders Set May 26 Budget Talks With May 29 Vote Target

Resolving roughly $1.4 billion in spending and policy gaps must happen quickly to start the constitutionally required 72-hour public review before a final vote.

Overview

House Budget Chair Lawrence McClure and Senate Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper were authorized to meet at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26 and to negotiate “until completion,” according to a memo from House Speaker Daniel Perez.
Leaders aim to place the Conference Report on lawmakers’ desks on Tuesday to trigger Florida’s 72-hour cooling period so the House can debate and vote on the budget on Friday, May 29.
Negotiators must close about $1.4 billion in differences and several policy fights that include school choice and university preeminence funding, Medicaid reimbursement rules and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, and major Everglades projects.
Key dollar disputes include competing EAA reservoir proposals of roughly $249 million from the House versus $424.7 million from the Senate and Florida Forever funding at $25 million versus $75 million, and much of the bargaining is happening behind closed doors with many conferees and lobbyists no longer in Tallahassee.
This is the second straight year the Legislature missed its regular-session deadline to pass a budget and a late deal could affect hospitals, conservation purchases, school and voucher funding, and the governor’s use of line-item vetoes as the July 1 fiscal-year start approaches.