Florida House continues to spar with Gov. DeSantis, launches review of line-item vetoes

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 11/19/24-Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, speaks during reorganizational session, Tuesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez  outlined a new set of “combined workgroups,” which will review line-item vetoes from the current 2024-25 budget Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last year. 

The creation of these groups amounts to political warfare between DeSantis’ executive branch and the Legislature, despite both chambers and the Governor all being Republicans. The workgroups will allow lawmakers to gather to discuss vetoes from the budget and determine which should be taken up for a potential veto override. 

Perez, outlining his plans in a late afternoon email to members, has authorized the groups to begin meeting Monday for up to 10 days. 

“Upon conclusion of its work, each workgroup will submit its recommendation for further legislative action, if any, to their subcommittee chairs, the originating committee chair, and me (Perez,)” the memo reads. 

In all, four groups will gather — Combined Workgroups on vetoed human services budget issues, vetoed justice services budget issues, vetoed water programs budget issues, and vetoed libraries, cultural, and historical preservation budget issues. 

Rep. Mike Redondo will be the Combined Workgroup Manager for the human services group, overseeing members Hillary Cassel, Allison Tant, Dana Trabulsy and Kaylee Tuck from the Health Care Budget Subcommittee, and Anna Eskamani, Karen Gonzalez-Pittman, Monique Miller, Bill Partington and Ryan Chamberlin from the Human Services Committee. 

Rep. David Smith will manage the justice services group, overseeing members Nan Cobb, Mike Gottlieb, Berny Jacques, and Juan Porras from the Justice Budget Subcommittee and Shane Abbott, Jessica Baker, Robbie Brackett, Tom Fabricio, and Diane Hart from the Criminal Justice Subcommittee. 

Rep. Michelle Salzman will oversee the water programs group, which includes members Jon Albert, Robin Bartleman, Yvette Benarroch, and Meg Weinberger from the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee and Dean Black, Bill Conerly, Debbie Mayfield, Jim Mooney, and Debra Tendrich from the Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee. 

Lastly, Rep. Susan Plasencia will manage the workgroup evaluating vetoes related to libraries and cultural and historical preservation. She’ll oversee Reps. Danny Alvarez, Lindsay Cross, Richard Gentry, Randy Maggard and Vanessa Oliver from the Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee, and Fabian Basabe, Daryl Campbell, Sam Greco and Paula Stark from the Government Operations Subcommittee. 

For those who have been paying attention as lawmakers convened last week for a Special Session DeSantis asked for, the latest ding on DeSantis likely comes as little surprise. 

In his remarks last Monday, as he gaveled into Session, Perez asserted the Legislature’s independence and went so far as to call on lawmakers under his purview to focus not only on “the next thing” but also “the last thing.” He touted the veto process as a way for the Governor — any Governor, not just DeSantis — to have a check on the budget process. But he called out DeSantis specifically for vetoing 30% of the Legislature’s operating budget, a slashed item that cut $57 million from the pot of money lawmakers use “to pay for back-end operations including legal, accounting and human resources, as well as the funds that support the work of” several critical groups at the Capitol. 

At that time, Perez first mentioned the combined workgroups, noting that members would “systematically review vetoed appropriations to see if anything might be an appropriate candidate to bring before the body for reinstatement.”

He added, “Such reinstatements should be a part of every Floor Session until we bring our 2025-2026 House Budget to the Floor.”

For the money DeSantis vetoed for legislative operations, lawmakers already overrode his decision. This is the first time the Legislature has overrode a DeSantis veto in his two terms as Governor.