Staff Reports
Formal negotiations are ready to begin on a state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Senate President Bill Galvano made the announcement Tuesday at the beginning of a floor session.
Galvano told senators that Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican, and House Appropriations Chairman Travis Cummings, also a Fleming Island Republican, had reached agreement on “allocations,” a key first step in negotiations.
The two chambers allocated $33.6 billion in General Revenue.
PreK-12 takes up the largest portion at $12.8 billion. A $10.17 billion allocation went to health care. About $4.5 billion is allocated to higher education.
The rest of the allocations are $200 million for Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development; 509 million for Agriculture and Natural Resources; $311 million for General Government; and $607 million for Administered Funds-Statewide Issues.
The conference committees will meet through Thursday evening. Any unresolved issues at that point will be bumped to Bradley and Cummings.
Each meeting is subject to a one-hour notice requirement. They can begin as late as 8:45 p.m. each day.
Allocations divide up money among broad categories of the budget, which then allows lawmakers to negotiate the details.
Galvano said the budget conference process starts at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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Material from The News Service of Florida is used in this post.
