Budget stalemate finally ends for Florida Legislature

Author: Associated Press
Published:
Florida governor’s mansion and state capitol building. Credit MGN

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida’s budget stalemate is coming to an end.

Florida lawmakers have reached a deal on a nearly $79 billion budget. The final budget was delivered to the members of the Florida Legislature late Tuesday afternoon.

Florida law requires a 72-hour “cooling off” period before a final vote. That means legislators won’t be able to approve the budget until Friday.

Legislators waited until the middle of June to agree on a new budget. That’s because the House and Senate were divided over health care coverage and health care spending during the regular session.

Senate Republicans wanted to use federal money to expand health coverage. But House Republicans rejected the proposal.

The new budget sets aside more than $400 million for tax cuts. It also boosts school spending by 3 percent for each student.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.