(The Center Square) – Florida legislative leaders have reached a deal for the state’s budget and a vote could be scheduled for Monday.
In a letter to members, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said the 72-hour review period will begin Friday evening and lawmakers will convene three hours on Monday before the vote is to take place.
Budget conferees will hold a final meeting on Friday to complete work on the conforming bills, including the tax relief package, and the budget implementation bill.
Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, is the House Budget Committee chairman and said the aim was to put the state’s revenue situation on a positive trajectory with this year’s budget.
“The House is is very thankful for the Senate’s collaboration on on reimagining or recalibrating the spending practices of the state of Florida, and that isn’t ever an easy conversation, no matter in government or in business or, you know, in homes across the state, choices have to be made, right?” McClure said. “And we all come from different corners of this state with different experiences and different situations. And so that conversation took a little bit longer than expected.”
Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Palm Harbor, said no one in the capitol building wanted a government shutdown and that lawmakers worked, 12-, sometimes 16-hour days to ensure the state would get “responsible, balanced budget in front of the two bodies.”
According to the state constitution, a 72-hour “cooling off” period is required before a budget can be voted upon by both chambers.
Lawmakers will appropriate $50 billion for general fund budget, which only includes state tax revenues such as the 6% sales tax.
Tax relief in the budget package could add up to about $2.25 billion that includes the elimination of the business rent tax ($900 million) and permanent sales tax exemptions ($350 million).
Lawmakers adjourned on May 23 without a budget after 90 days of work in Tallahassee and had to reconvene in special session to come to a deal after a tentative agreement fell apart. The state’s new fiscal year begins on July 1.
With federal and dedicated funds, such as the Florida Lottery, the total budget is likely to be about $119.8 billion.
