Budget

Florida’s legislative leadership has reached an agreement on the state’s budget over the weekend. The decision brought clarity on several issues that the House and Senate had been fighting over.

Florida legislative leaders are negotiating next year's state budget behind closed doors — a secretive process Gov. Ron DeSantis compared to selecting a pope.

Legislative leaders announced the session is set for May 12 - 29. It will follow a special session on redistricting, AL, and school vaccines.

The House passed its $113.6 billion budget proposal Thursday, but House Speaker Daniel Perez warned negotiations with the Senate could be rocky.

As of Monday, six such proposals had been filed in the House, collectively seeking just over $5.5 million.

DeSantis' signing comes with over $500 million in line-item vetoes and after a protracted budget standoff.

One of the more-contentious legislative sessions in recent history came to a close late Monday as lawmakers approved a $115.1 billion budget for next fiscal year and prepared to send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Legislators are working out the details on the budget that goes into effect July 1. They've given themselves until June 18 to get it done.

The 60-day legislative is ending without a proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year. A budget must be approved by the governor before July 1, 2025.

Florida’s legislative session is now expected to run longer than planned due to stalled budget negotiations. That standoff has led to fiery exchanges between the House and Senate leaders.