Overview
- The Legislature, which reconvened Tuesday, launched an 18-day budget conference scheduled to run through May 29.
- The House voted 98-8 and the Senate 32-0 to place budget bills into conference, and leaders set committee meetings for later Tuesday with one-hour notice.
- The chambers entered talks after proposing about $113.6 billion in the House and about $115 billion in the Senate, and leaders said the next plan will be smaller than the current budget.
- Environmental and agriculture spending remains unsettled despite a $1.38 billion general‑revenue framework, with Everglades, state parks, and conservation funding drawing pressure from advocacy groups and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
- House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell criticized the lack of floor questions before the vote, while conference Chair Jason Brodeur said the House will steer decisions on closing gaps in environmental line items.