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Michael MolineMay 8, 2017

Don’t let the perhaps flawed way that House and Senate negotiators agreed upon their $83 billion state budget tarnish the final bill, Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala urged Monday as the Senate took up the measure in an extended session. “We’ve done a lot of good with this budget” and “cannot get bogged down just […]

Staff ReportsMay 6, 2017

The work of the people ended with a whimper Friday, as lawmakers agreed to extend the 2017 Legislative Session to complete the budget, killing a host of other legislation. As the Legislature turned out the lights around 9:30 p.m., high-profile dead bills included efforts to overhaul workers’ compensation and assignment of benefits, and to implement the […]

Michael MolineMay 5, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron said Friday that the Senate was waiting to vote on two bills and then would retire for the evening. Those bills, he said, were the joint resolution extending the session past its midnight expiration time, into Monday, so the House and Senate could debate an $83 billion compromise budget and conforming […]

Michael MolineMay 5, 2017

The House and Senate staged one last conference committee Friday, agreeing on budget conforming bills containing sweeping policy changes, on public schools, higher education, economic incentives programs and more. House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron did the honors personally, leading delegations to a committee room to present and consider offers on the […]

Michael MolineMay 5, 2017

The Senate’s leading education expert unloaded Friday on spending levels for schools contemplated in the Legislature’s compromise $83 billion state budget. During debate on extending Florida’s corporate tax exemption scholarship program, Sen. Bill Montford complained that base spending per student would decline in the public schools next fiscal year, notwithstanding a modest increase in the school […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

It was better late than never Thursday for five member projects inserted at the very last minute into the compromise $83 billion state budget. The House and Senate each had items to stuff into the budget during the last conference committee meeting of the evening. Actually, one of the items won funding earlier in the […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

House and Senate budget negotiators traded final offers Thursday and pronounced their work done, bar some last-minute tidying up. “The budget is closed,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Lavala said. “We’ve got a couple of question marks, but this is not an opportunity to entertain any new issues. We’re going to resolve one or two issues, […]

Michael MolineMay 3, 2017

Faced with the prospect of a gubernatorial budget veto, Senate President Joe Negron said Wednesday that he hopes it doesn’t come to that. “I hope the governor doesn’t veto the budget, because I think it’s a strong budget. He certainly has every right to look at particular items,” Negron told reporters following the day’s Senate […]

Michael MolineMay 3, 2017

The House and Senate were tantalizingly close Wednesday to completing negotiations on an $83 billion state budget. It appeared only a question of firming up some details and completing the paperwork. “There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into preparing the document and getting it distributed and printed and whatever. But the major points […]

Staff ReportsMay 3, 2017

The House on Wednesday accepted the Senate’s budget language to reorganize the Agency for State Technology. “The House initially pushed for a complete overhaul of the state’s IT services, which included replacing the agency, but late in the budget negotiations a deal to keep the agency while making changes emerged,” Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools reported. Proviso language […]

Tag: 2017-18 state budget
Image via AP.

Jack Latvala appeals to Senate to pass budget, despite flawed process

See ya Monday: House and Senate adjourn after extending session

Joe Negron starts edging toward the exit

Conference committees complete work on budget conforming bills

Bill Montford complains about school spending during scholarships debate

Member projects make it into state budget at the last possible moment

Appropriations chiefs declare budget talks ‘closed’ — but with an asterisk

Against criticism by governor, Joe Negron makes the case for budget deal

Final $83 billion budget bill awaits only fine tuning, conferees report

Agency for State Technology reorganization plan moves forward