Politics & Government
Budget Chairs Hopeful On Monday Vote Despite Lack Of Public Meetings
Lawmakers have to wait 72 hours after work on the budget is done to vote on it.
June 13, 2025
As another deadline nears for the Florida Legislature to finalize the state’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget, the chambers’ budget chairs appear to disagree on whether they will be able to wrap up negotiations Friday for a Monday vote.
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House Budget Chair Lawrence McClure gave reporters a “yes” when asked if their timeline to finish the work by Monday would work, whereas Senate Budget Chair Ed Hooper answered “maybe.”
“I think the last two days may be the most productive we’ve had,” Hooper told reporters Thursday evening. Lawmakers voted last week to extend their time to finish the budget until June 18, ahead of the June 30 when the current year’s budget expires.
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The budget chairs didn’t meet in public on Wednesday and had only one conference on Tuesday. Hooper said there weren’t enough substantial offers to warrant a meeting on Wednesday. The chambers presented offers on several silos on Thursday evening, such as education, criminal justice, and health care.
“The president committed to the speaker this afternoon that we are going to do everything in our power to have this thing on the desk sometime tomorrow for a Monday vote,” Hooper said.
Lawmakers have to wait 72 hours after work on the budget is done to vote on it.
The Legislature agreed they would spend $50 billion in general revenue before returning to Tallahassee last week. The Legislative leaders have also touted a plan to eliminate taxes on business rent and $350 million in permanent sales tax exemptions. However, the sales tax exemption deal hasn’t been finalized either.
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