WTWC Fox 49 — Florida lawmakers remain at an impasse over the state budget as Gov. Ron DeSantis calls a special session on redistricting, artificial intelligence and vaccine policy, drawing criticism from some Republicans and Democrats who say the Legislature’s top priority is still unfinished.
With no budget deal in place, DeSantis is convening the special session to take up redistricting as well as artificial intelligence and vaccine policy, two issues that failed to pass during the regular session. Some Republicans say the focus is misplaced while budget negotiations remain stalled.
“Why he thinks he gets a second bite at the apple is a little bit confusing to me,” said Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola.
Democrats warned the special session will cost taxpayers money.
“Your tax dollars are going to go toward our flights and our travel and our stay up in Tallahassee for as long as it takes for these special sessions,” said Rep. Christine Hunschofsky of Parkland, a Democrat.
Meanwhile, the House and Senate are still divided on overall spending levels. The House budget proposal totals $113.6 billion, while the Senate proposal is $115 billion. Andrade said until lawmakers agree on that top-line number, negotiations will not move forward.
“We also have a lot of policy that’s tied to the budget that will also have to be negotiated and resolved before we actually vote on a budget. So there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Andrade said.
The unresolved budget includes funding decisions for schools, water projects and affordable housing, along with thousands of local projects across Florida.
The stakes rise as the state approaches the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Without a budget, Florida cannot legally spend money, which could freeze payments, delay services and create uncertainty for more than 100,000 state employees who rely on that funding.
Lucy Dadayan of the Urban Institute’s State Tax and Economic Review Project said a failure to pass a budget could have visible impacts, even if temporary measures are put in place.
“Your parks might be closed. Your libraries might be closed. But, for sure the state will have some temporary measure in place,” Dadayan said.
Hunschofsky said the budget standoff reflects broader concerns about how decisions are being made in Tallahassee.
“It’s important for the government to be listening, and right now, with the supermajority, that’s not happening,” she said.
Lawmakers have said they will reach a deal before the deadline, but there is no public timeline, and they have not been able to establish one for weeks.