When the Florida Legislature wrapped up its special session last Friday, some things survived the governor’s veto pen, but others didn’t. And that included cuts to the University of Florida/IFAS budget. According to Sydney Stone, legislative assistant for the University of Florida/IFAS Governmental Affairs, while the legislature did override some $60 million in cuts to higher education, it could not …
Scott Gets Dike Money in Economic Development Bill
Jim Turner News Service of Florida Visit Florida will get a boost in marketing dollars from the amount lawmakers approved last month. Gov. Rick Scott will get $85 million to distribute — through a new fund — to help regional infrastructure projects aimed at economic-development. And as part of a bill approved Friday at the end of the three-day special …
Florida Lawmakers Continue to Work on Budget
The Florida Legislative Special Session continues today in Tallahassee. In action taking place this week, the Florida Senate did vote to override vetoes of some $75 million in higher-education projects. A group of Florida 4-H youth and supporters were at the state capitol Wednesday hoping to encourage lawmakers to override Governor Scott’s veto of Florida 4-H funding. The Governor’s veto …
BREAKING NEWS: Special Session Set for Budget Deal
From News Service of Florida Florida lawmakers will hold a special session next week after Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran announced Friday they have reached the outline of a budget deal. The three-day session is scheduled to start Wednesday. Lawmakers passed an $82.4 billion budget on May 8, but Scott was angered by …
Florida Legislature Budgets Items for Agriculture
The Florida Legislature did approve the $82.4 billion state budget before it wrapped up the 2017 legislative session on Monday night. The budget, which is for the fiscal year that starts July 1, passed by a vote of 98-14 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate. Southeast AgNet and Florida Cattlemen’s Association Tallahassee intern, Josie Tomkow, has a wrap …
Florida Lawmakers to Vote on Budget Today
Florida Lawmakers did close on the state’s budget deal last Wednesday, but it wasn’t until Friday afternoon that it was finally released. But that was good enough to allow time for the 72-hour budget “cooling off” period required by the Constitution so the vote can take place this afternoon on what should be the final day of the 2017 Florida …
Working to Meet the Florida Budget Deadline
The Florida legislative session is in its final week, and the Senate president and House speaker stepped in Sunday afternoon to take over budget negotiations as lawmakers have been working to meet a Tuesday deadline to finish work on a nearly $83 billion spending plan. According to a story from the News Service of Florida, while agreements on spending levels …
Environmental Budget Talks Falter
by Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida Negotiations between the House and Senate about funding for environmental and water programs imploded Saturday, as talks over a new state budget moved up the ladder ahead of a Tuesday deadline. A visibly irritated Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, announced Saturday that he would ask for all of the issues that once separated …
Request from the Florida Conservation Group
With time running out on the 2017 Florida legislative session, the Budget Conference Committee is in negotiations to finalize the final details of the budget. But there are concerns with some in agriculture that the budget does not include funding for conservation easements. And Southeast AgNet Tallahassee Intern, Josie Tomkow, talked with their Vice Chairman, Jim Strickland, who is asking …
Hashing Out Final Details of Florida State Budget
The Florida legislative session is down to its last week, as it is scheduled to end Friday, May 5. Work continues on the state budget, as the Budget Conference Committee has started their negotiations, but there is not a lot of time left for them to work out the details in order to adjourn on time. The budget has to …