ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are no closer to releasing a budget proposal, and on Friday, state House leaders told representatives that they shouldn’t expect to be in Tallahassee next week.
House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, sent a memorandum to lawmakers, promising that they would get enough time to make travel and scheduling arrangements before they need to return to the state capital.
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“We continue working closely with the Senate toward a final budget agreement,” Perez wrote. “At this time, you should not expect to be in Tallahassee next week. Additional updates will be shared as progress continues and the timeline becomes clearer.”
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Meanwhile, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, sent a memo to Florida senators telling them not to expect to be back in Tallahassee before June 2.
“I hope to have a better idea of our schedule moving forward in the next few days and will share another update after the Memorial Day holiday,” Albritton said in his memo.
Neither leader offered any details on what progress has been made.
The annual 60-day Florida Legislative Session was supposed to end on May 2, but lawmakers have not been able to come to an agreement over the state budget, the one bill they are constitutionally obligated to pass.
Perez and Albritton said on May 2 that there was a budget framework that just required ironing out details. The session was extended to June 6.
But a few days later, negotiations broke down over a tax cut package.
House Republican leaders proposed a leaner budget with a permanent cut in the state sales tax rate. Senate Republicans, however, say the sales tax cut would not be meaningful for families and seniors.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is against the sales-tax rate cut. He has called for a one-time $1,000 rebate for property owners with homestead exemptions, a prelude to asking voters to cut or get rid of property taxes in 2026.
DeSantis has criticized Perez’s leadership in the House, along with the chamber’s budget blueprint. He appeared to side with Albritton in public events earlier this month.
The budget must be completed and signed by the governor in time for the start of the new fiscal year, which is July 1.
If the budget isn’t signed, it could lead to a state government shutdown.
Information from News Service of Florida was used in this report.