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Jim RosicaMay 3, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran told members at the beginning of Monday’s floor session that both chambers have reached agreement on a final 2017-18 state budget. Corcoran said the Legislature will take the weekend off and reconvene Monday at 1 p.m. to consider the budget and vote. That contrasts with the speaker’s comment to reporters Tuesday […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron conceded the obvious Tuesday night: The House and Senate won’t wrap up budget negotiations in time to adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “You know the timetable as well as I do, with the 72-hour requirement. So we will definitely not complete the budget work prior to the end of Friday, and […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran insisted Tuesday that he still hoped to complete a budget deal in time to adjourn on schedule Friday — but other lawmakers and Tallahassee’s lobbyists have begun clearing their calendars for next week. “I think it’s 90 percent likely,” Corcoran said of chances the negotiations with the Senate could be wrapped […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron held out hope Monday evening that he and House Speaker Richard Corcoran could resolve lingering disagreements about the state budget in time to present a bill Tuesday and adjourn as scheduled on Friday. “I know there was some real good progress made today on a number of issues, particularly in the […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

The Senate approved a proposed ballot measure Monday to raise the value of Florida’s homestead exemption, improving chances that separate legislation to expand gambling would survive the Legislative Session. The vote was 28-10, within the required three-fifths majority. House leaders, who have been reluctant to open Florida to additional gambling options, have made approval of […]

Michael MolineMay 1, 2017

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved some $75 million in tax breaks Monday, including repeal of Florida’s tampon tax, that would be central to passing an $83 billion budget and ending the Legislative Session on time Friday. The committee also approved across-the-board pay raises for state workers, with extra money for high-risk employees, plus an option to […]

Michael MolineApril 30, 2017

House and Senate negotiators agreed on $40 million in water projects and a $23 million higher education budget Sunday, but major decisions on charter schools, Lake Okeechobee restoration, and more remained unsettled. Carlos Trujillo and Jack Latvala, respectively the House and Senate budget chairmen, made progress during what Latvala said would be their last meeting […]

Jim RosicaApril 30, 2017

The House and Senate is seemingly at odds over whether to pay for the Constitution Revision Commission. A Sunday spreadsheet that came out of the first 2017-18 state budget conference chairs meeting of the day had a line item for the commission, which meets every 20 years to review and revise the state’s governing document. […]

Jim RosicaApril 29, 2017

While Senate and House negotiators made progress on many tourism, transportations and economic development budgetary issues Saturday, a slew of line items will be “bumped” up to Appropriations Chairs Jack Latvala and Carlos Trujillo. Most notable was a bump of proviso language on an audit of Tampa International Airport’s master renovation plan. State Sen. Tom Lee, a […]

Michael MolineApril 29, 2017

House and Senate higher education conferees agreed Saturday to trim cuts to developmental education programs at state colleges, but sent a disagreement about control of state university support foundations up the chain of command. Lead Senate negotiator Bill Galvano indicated at one point during an afternoon meeting that the developmental spending might have to be […]

Tag: 2017-18 state budget

Legislative Session will extend through Monday

Joe Negron acknowledges the Legislative Session will enter extra innings

Lawmakers, lobbyists begin to contemplate an extended session

Joe Negron sees ‘good progress’ toward budget deal as session enters final week

Homestead exemption expansion wins supermajority vote in Senate

Tax breaks clear Senate Appropriations as session enters final scheduled week

Big budget questions headed to House and Senate presiding officers

Constitutional review panel money becomes a ‘bump issue’

Proviso language on Tampa airport audit ‘bumped’ to budget chairs

Conferees bump university foundation-control question to budget chairmen