Florida House Republicans make offer on budget stalemate

Florida governor’s mansion and state capitol building. Credit MGN

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida House leaders are making an offer to give up money from tax cuts and other spending to try to reach a deal on a new state budget.

The offer is a signal that they may be backing down somewhat from their harsh position on an issue that has brought the Legislative session to a halt.

The House and Senate remain deeply divided with budgets that are $4 billion apart going into the last week of session.

Republican House Speaker Steve Crisafulli said Thursday that the House would take away $200 million from other areas of the budget and instead use it in the state’s Medicaid program.

That would draw down an estimated additional $500 million from the federal government.

The offer is not connected to Medicaid expansion or a separate hospital program that has created the stalemate between the House and Senate. But the offer is intended to restart budget negotiations.

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