Florida lawmakers on Tuesday sent Gov. Ron DeSantis their $114.5 billion budget for the coming fiscal year, just one week ahead of the deadline to keep the state government up and running.
DeSantis received the 550-page package at 1:42 p.m., according to the Florida House website — nearly a month after it was passed. He must act on it before July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year.
And although lawmakers have proudly touted that their budget is below spending lines from previous years, DeSantis has already vowed to slice at least $800 million from the bundle. He holds the power of the line-item veto.
That roughly equals the bloat alleged by Florida TaxWatch, a fiscal watchdog group, earlier this month. Within the 2026-2027 budget, TaxWatch found 621 items totaling $829.7 million in “budget turkeys,” or items snuck into the spending package without debate, committee hearings, or any other transparency.
For the second year in a row, lawmakers were unable to agree on a budget on time, despite it being the only piece of legislation they are constitutionally required to pass. The delay was emblematic of high tensions not only between the two chambers guided by leaders in their final year in power, but discord with the governor, as well.
DeSantis is in his last year in office.
However, after two special sessions nearly two months after the expiration of the regular session, the House and Senate signed off on their $114.5 billion budget.
The Senate voted unanimously to pass the state fiscal year 2026-27 budget, while the House voted 99-6, the Phoenix previously reported.
Some of the spending include:
- $49.2 billion for healthcare.
- $4.05 billion for the Department of Corrections. That includes $50 million for a new prison hospital and $52 million for additional dorms.
- $638.6 million for Everglades Restoration, including money to complete the state’s portion of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.
- $425 million for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
