Florida legislators now have in their hands next year’s $77.1 billion proposed budget. The new budget was delivered to state legislators at 8:35 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to Florida law, the Legislature must wait 72 hours after the budget is delivered before a final vote can be taken. The current session is slated to end on Friday.
Following passage of the budget, it will be sent to Gov. Rick Scott for signature. Scott can veto individual spending items including in the budget.
After Tuesday session, House Speaker Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel), said the budget is focused on the right priorities based on the needs of the Sunshine State.
“There will be people who have complaints about it; no budget is perfect,” Weatherford said. “But overall, it was a very collaborative; I believe bipartisan and a very fair budget to Floridians.”
Senate President Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) said next year’s budget, which will go into effect on July 1, would assist those who need it most.
“This appropriation has no special interests behind it, no lobbyists hired to advocate for it, and no campaign to pass it,” Gaetz wrote in a statement, floridacurrent.com reported. “The personal needs allowance is for our mothers and fathers, our grandparents and elders who built Florida and now look to us for basic decency that allows them to maintain their dignity.”
At a press conference last Thursday, several House Democrats raised concerns about education funding, college affordability, and the Legislature’s failure to expand health care and its refusal to provide a living wage to hard-working Floridians.
Tomorrow, Florida House Democratic Leader-designate Mark Pafford and Senate Democratic Leader-designate Arthenia Joyner will hold a news conference to discuss the end of the legislative session and the Republican-led Legislature’s unfinished business.
