TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV\/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Florida\u2019s 60-day legislative session ended Friday without a state budget, marking the second consecutive year lawmakers failed to pass a spending plan. Two special sessions are already scheduled for next month.<\/p>\n
The adjournment, known as Sine Die, is traditionally marked by ceremony at the Capitol. This year, there was no stage, no celebration and no hanky drop.<\/p>\n
Senate Minority Leader Laurie Berman said the legislature fell short of its most basic obligation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one constitutional requirement that we have we failed at,\u201d Berman said.<\/p>\n
Legislative leaders said they will continue negotiating while lawmakers are away, working to close a $1.4 billion budget gap. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton both addressed the path forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cChair McClure and I will continue to keep you updated on our progress on allocation negotiations,\u201d Perez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will hold the line on spending, live within our means, and strike the right balance between spending and saving,\u201d Albritton said.<\/p>\n
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said the session failed to deliver on the top issue voters raised after the 2024 election.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was too much talk, too little action. That\u2019s a missed opportunity for the people of Florida. Affordability was the number one issue coming out of the 2024 election. We talked about affordability as a chamber,\u201d Driskell said.<\/p>\n
Driskell also pointed to internal Republican conflict as a factor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe keep missing the mark because we can\u2019t get past this infighting. Floridians don\u2019t care about the infighting. They don\u2019t care. They\u2019re not following that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Florida politics:<\/p>\n
Republicans said they are not concerned about returning to Tallahassee for additional sessions. Rep. Danny Nix of Port Charlotte said he believes the legislature has been responsible with state finances.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the fact that we have leaders who are fighting for what\u2019s best for Floridians. At the end of the day I think we\u2019ve done really good work. We\u2019re good stewards of making sure we\u2019re fiscally sound in the state of Florida,\u201d Nix said.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers sent more than 200 bills to the governor for his signature during the session. Some members are already looking ahead to next year, when term limits will bring new legislative leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m hoping next year we have more dialogue with some of the senators that are over there and make sure that we have a better work product for next year,\u201d said Rep. Juan Carlos Porras of Miami.<\/p>\n
There will be two special sessions in April. One special session is planned to finalize the budget. A second special session is scheduled on congressional redistricting.<\/p>\n
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