A Senate Committee is signaling its support for a bill (SB 2-C) that would use over $416 million for disaster relief.
The hefty spending package was crafted by Florida Senator Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) who says the counties he represents are fiscally constrained and have been impacted the most by recent storms, like Hurricane Idalia.
“After looking at this bill and going over it for the last several weeks; there’s a reason to have hope," Simon said on the opening day of the special legislative session.
"We can come back and build back stronger than what we were before the storm and that's what I’m excited about. We won't forget about you. We haven't forgotten about you.”
In the bill’s analysis, the senate staff estimates Hurricane Idalia caused billions of dollars in both property and agricultural damage to the state.
If the Governor approves, the bill would give those impacted tax refunds and extend grant and loan programs so that they can rebuild and strengthen their homes and businesses against future storms. The bill has already been approved by the state’s Fiscal Policy committee.