Week 4

More Tensions between the House and Senate Resurface, Delaying Budget Roll-Out

This week was expected to provide us with the first look at the new state budget, with the Senate appropriations subcommittees scheduled to reveal spending proposals for the agencies in their purview. The two chambers usually roll out their budgets at the same time. However, the Senate President said the two chambers “are not on the same page as it relates to timing of a budget rollout.” This led to some back and forth between the House and Senate, including both accusing the other of not respecting legislative tradition. Florida TaxWatch hopes this isn’t a sign of another prolonged, acrimonious budget process, like the one we had last year. For now, the Senate is scheduled to release its subcommittee proposals on Wednesday, which will be combined into an appropriation bill for the full Appropriation Committee to vote on Thursday. A floor vote would come in Week 6. No word yet from the House on its schedule, but it does have appropriations subcommittee meetings scheduled for next week.

Despite the budget hold up, it was a very busy week for legislation, with many bills of interest to Florida TaxWatch and Florida taxpayers advancing. Here’s just a sampling.

Action this week on legislation Florida TaxWatch is following

On the Floor — These bills passed the full House or Senate this week:

• Affordable Housing — SB 48 would require local governments to allow ADUs, sometimes known as accessory apartments or granny flats, in single-family residential areas. Florida TaxWatch supports the promotion of ADUs.
• Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Program — SB 578 would create this program to assist Floridians that are affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia with obtaining reputable national research.
• Insurance — The House passed two bills this week. HB 863 requires Citizens Property Insurance to offer an arbitration option for claim disputes. HB 1399 creates new oversight requirements for insurers’ transactions with affiliates, including requiring consideration of affiliate revenue in rate filings.
• Nursing — HB 375 and HB 301 allow more autonomy for certified registered nurse anesthetists and psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurses, respectively.

In Committee — All these bills have advanced in committee this week:

• HB 1329 mandates a budget-cutting exercise by local governments to identify 10% in specific reductions to tentative budgets. Integrating cost savings into the budget process is a bedrock Florida TaxWatch recommendation.
• HB 1197 includes several measures recommended by Florida TaxWatch to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of the state’s IT procurement.
• SB 1336 increases sovereign immunity caps on claims against governments.
• SB 1220 is a wide-ranging transportation bill that touches on air travel, ports, rail, drone delivery, autonomous vehicles, trails, and tolls. This week, a provision was added to require a study to develop options to address alternative fuel vehicles’ negative impact on transportation revenue, as recommended by Florida TaxWatch.
• SB 1758 codifies requirements in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act for SNAP and Medicaid and directs DCF to lower its SNAP payment error rate by modifying its eligibility determination process.
• SB 1362 promotes electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and vertiports by providing a sales tax exemption, liability protections, and funding opportunities.
• SB 484 begins regulation of the exploding data center industry, including shielding residents and businesses from paying for some of the high utility costs these centers demand.
• SB 1480 expands opportunities for physicians working in areas of critical need with temporary certificates to obtain full licensure.
• HB 103 repeals local business taxes, which would save taxpayers and cost cities and counties approximately $200 million annually.
• SB 1706 expands the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to all condo properties in the state, providing that they were built before January 1, 2008 and at least 80 percent of the units are owned or occupied by a person or family whose annual income is at or below 80 percent of the area median income.
• SB 428 expands eligibility for the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program which provides free swimming lessons to eligible low-income children.