TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s House and Senate have reached an agreement on joint budget allocations, breaking an impasse that had left lawmakers publicly uncertain about how and when they would finish the only bill they are constitutionally required to pass. The deal sets up a special session on the budget from May 12 through May 29.
In separate memos Thursday, House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton said the chambers had agreed on allocations and would return next month to complete the spending plan. Perez told House members the bills taken up during the special session would be identical to those passed by the House during the regular session, while Albritton said the final budget would be smaller than the current year’s state budget.
The announcement marks a breakthrough after weeks of friction in Tallahassee, where lawmakers had also been grappling with unresolved debates over property taxes, congressional redistricting, artificial intelligence and vaccine policy.
Last week, Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper said the “perfect scenario” would have been to combine a special session on property taxes with the budget and move the spending plan quickly through appropriations and conference. But he said there was still no consensus on property tax relief, warning that a proposal that benefits one county “could crush 31 poor counties.”
Hooper also pointed to a major divide between the chambers, saying the House had “more than once said they have no interest in backfilling constrained counties,” while Senate leaders believed such backfill would be necessary. Asked what would happen if the chambers could not agree on a property tax proposal, Hooper answered: “Nothing happens.”
Perez has voiced his own frustration with the tax debate. In a recent television interview, he said Gov. Ron DeSantis deserved credit for starting the property tax conversation more than a year ago, but added that he was “still waiting for a proposal that has anything to do with property taxes.”
Perez said the House had already passed a proposal to eliminate taxes on homesteaded property while preserving the school tax portion, but said the Senate did not take it up and the governor did not support it.
For now, lawmakers appear ready to move the budget separately. Both Perez and Albritton said conference committees will meet from May 12 through May 15 before unresolved issues are bumped. Lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee after Memorial Day to vote on the final conference report.
Both leaders cast the agreement as a sign of fiscal restraint. Perez said that for the second consecutive year the budget will reduce overall government spending while directing money to essential priorities. Albritton said the final product would help maintain long-term financial stability while keeping taxes low, paying down debt and saving for the future.
The joint allocations framework includes $51.98 billion in general revenue, with the largest shares going to health care and human services, PreK-12 education, justice programs and higher education.
The budget deal resolves one major question hanging over the capitol. But the broader fight over property taxes — and whether lawmakers can agree on a proposal for voters to consider — remains unsettled.
Share Your Story with Forrest
Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders is dedicated to sharing your voice with political leaders throughout the state. He works to hold our elected leaders accountable and amplify your concerns. Let Forrest know about the issues you want state leaders to focus on.
.
Homeowner loses decade-long legal battle against St. Pete over unrecorded water pipelines
An Odessa man lost his legal battle against the city of St. Petersburg today after a jury ruled that two massive water mains buried under his property can remain.
