Florida's Latest News

Lawmakers finalize $101.5B budget with time to spare

The Legislature’s budget negotiators on Tuesday finalized their changes to the 2021-22 fiscal year budget, keeping lawmakers on track to approve the bill before the end of the Session.

The budget (SB 2500) will total more than $101.5 billion, bolstered by billions in federal aid Florida is expected to receive this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers set the budget bill on the desk at 12:06 p.m., meaning they could vote on it beginning that time Friday. Friday marks the 60th and final day of the 2021 Legislative Session.

Florida looks like it will receive $10.2 billion from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan President Joe Biden signed in March. Lawmakers agreed to spend $6.7 billion of that while saving the rest for reserves.

DeSantis extends coronavirus state of emergency in Florida for another 60 days

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday again extended Florida’s coronavirus pandemic state of emergency for another 60 days.

“The impact of COVID-19 poses a continuing threat to the health, safety and welfare of the State of Florida and its residents,” the executive order states.

But it does have new language that says “as Florida continues to realize a manageable trend in COVID-19 cases... the state should prepare to resume non-emergency operations.”

The order, in place since March 2020, has given state agencies the flexibility to coordinate with federal agencies on response.

 ‘A hands-on Governor’: Ron DeSantis collecting wins this Session

Several of Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ priorities have passed the Legislature or are primed to pass this week.

House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson have cleared the way for several of the Republican Governor’s top priorities ahead of the start of his reelection campaign. That’s included both bipartisan measures and some initiatives that Democrats and even some Republicans have opposed.

According to the House Speaker, who held a media availability Tuesday after a floor session, the Governor’s success has been because of their shared philosophies, how he leverages the media, and his approach to governing.

Florida Toll Road Projects Are Scrapped, Including Suncoast Parkway Extension

With little comment, the Florida House on Tuesday gave final approval to scrapping much of a controversial toll-road plan, sending the issue to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The House voted 115-0 to repeal the program dubbed the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance, or M-CORES, which was pushed through in 2019 by then-Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

While the planned toll-road projects have been a lightning rod for environmentalists, the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association, a backer of the M-CORES plan in 2019, called the repeal a responsible way to address the state’s “short-term and long-term infrastructure.”