State lawmakers need more time for budget

With no deal reached, session heads for overtime

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers on Tuesday missed their deadline to end the legislative session on time.

Despite two days of private discussions, House and Senate budget negotiators could not put the final touches on the state’s $83 billion budget. The constitution requires a 72-hour waiting period before lawmakers can vote on the budget, the only bill the Legislature is required to approve each year.

Since it wasn’t agreed to by end of the day Tuesday, lawmakers will need more time. The 60-day session was scheduled to end Friday.

Lawmakers have the option, by a three-fifths vote, to extend the session.

“We will definitely not complete the budget work prior to the end of Friday,” said Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart. “It’s better to get it right than to get it done quickly.”

Although the broad contours of

the budget were agreed to last week, GOP leaders in both chambers were stuck on details in health care.

The main difference between the House and Senate is how to allocate $1.5 billion in low-income pool funding, a Medicaid program that pays hospitals for charity care, as well as Medicaid cuts of up to $651 million. A plan on how to disburse $200 million to charter schools to compete with failing public schools also is part of negotiations.

It’s unclear how long the session will be extended, but it could be as long as Monday. Negron said he prefers to wait until the budget is completed before determining how long to extend.

Two major bills central to the budget deal passed Tuesday. The House approved HJR 7105, a top priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, which places an amendment on the 2018 ballot that would increase the homestead exemption by $25,000, saving the average homeowner $275 per year.

The House also passed SB 10, which uses $1.6 billion over three years to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to prevent polluted water from running off into South Florida waterways. The bill was at the top of the agenda of Negron.

Gov. Rick Scott’s agenda, though, is in trouble. He wanted $100 million for tourism marketing, but the budget deal has only $25 million. He wanted $200 million to expedite repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee, but it isn’t funded. He wanted $85 million for business incentives, but they aren’t in the budget either. His $618 million tax cut plan was whittled down to $75 million.

Scott, who has bashed fellow Republicans for ignoring his agenda throughout the session, said Tuesday he’ll head out on a barnstorming tour of the state today, hitting 10 cities in three days to decry the Legislature’s work and urge supporters to call lawmakers and ask them to reverse course.

“These politicians up here, they make no sense. To me it’s like they forgot who they represent,” Scott said Monday night during a conference call with supporters.

Scott’s frustration has given rise to speculation that he might veto the budget and call lawmakers back into session to approve his proposals. Democratic votes would be needed to override a veto or even to extend the session past Friday.

But Democrats also want to have more input in the final budget.

Sen. Randolph Bracy, D-Orlando, suggested a proposed $1.3 million cut to State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s office would lead him to vote against the budget. Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, wants to see funding restored for a PTSD clinic at UCF that treats veterans and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting. That program was cut out of the budget in weekend negotiations.

“The question is: How badly do they want Democratic votes? Will they show us a budget that reflects Democratic priorities? Will they show us a budget that reflects progressive priorities?” Smith said.

Also Tuesday, lawmakers conceded they will adjourn without passing a comprehensive gambling bill.

Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and sponsor of the legislation, said the bill is dead for the session. House and Senate negotiators met several times to try to work out an agreement.

The extended session could put some members who only made short-term housing arrangements in a bind.

“My Airbnb is up Friday, so me and my 100-pound dog will not have a place to stay after Friday night,” said Rep. Rene Plasencia, ROrlando. “In that case, my dog will be at the Capitol for a long time.”