Gabrielle Russon
The Senate and the House agreed to give an additional $5 million for law enforcement recruitment bonuses to bring the pot of money this fiscal year up to $15 million.
Initially, the House, which has been at odds with DeSantis throughout Session, wanted to not fund those bonuses at all.
However, the two sides reached a consensus to fund the bonuses with $10 million last week and finalized the line item.
The additional $5 million from the Senate’s offer emerged from Monday’s ongoing budget talks between the budget Chairs from the two chambers as lawmakers are working to pass a budget.
Law enforcement bonuses have been a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who talked about the importance of the bonuses during a press conference in April.
“When other states were defunding their police, demonizing law enforcement, and kneecapping their criminal justice system, we rewarded our law enforcement for their service,” DeSantis said in a statement after he handed out recruitment bonus checks to Marion County Sheriff’s deputies in a public show of support.
Florida has spent more than $53 million giving out checks worth $5,000 after taxes to law enforcement officials since 2022, according to DeSantis’ Office.
“The recruitment bonuses that my deputies will receive … aren’t just a check,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said at the April press conference. “It’s a statement. It tells the men and women in uniform that their choice to serve and protect matters now.”
Other lingering issues include eliminating vacant positions in Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
The House wants to cut 285 vacant positions to save nearly $19 million, while the Senate’s latest offer is to eliminate 146 positions.
Meanwhile, the House wants to fund $160,000 for military affairs replacement equipment, $200,000 for additional search and rescue equipment and about $455,000 for training aids. The Senate’s last bump offer has $0 for both items.
