Ryan Ray
The conference committee on the state justice budget appeared Saturday afternoon to be going smoothly, with the House accepting the Senate position on more than two dozen line items, but making different offers on many others.
In all the differences totaled nearly $10 million, about $5 million of that in recurring general revenue dollars and some $5 million in non-recurring funds.
The House and Senate offers remained separated by more than $2 million for on a trial court technology comprehensive plan favored by the Senate and $2 million for courthouse renovations in Lee and Charlotte counties also proffered by the Senate.
After the meeting, conference committee Vice Chair Sen. Joe Negron called it “a generous, good-faith offer,” and predicted the negotiations between conferees were “almost done.”
Negron and committee chair Rep. Larry Metz both sounded sanguine following the meeting, and anticipated wrapping up well before their Monday evening deadline.
Negron also announced the Conference on House Justice Appropriations/Senate Appropriation on Criminal and Civil Justice would meet again at 5:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon to close out the remaining differences.
