TAMPA, Fla. — Florida’s regular legislative session starts next week and the focus will be the state’s next budget for fiscal year 2025-26.
A budget proposal by Gov. Ron DeSantis would slightly shrink the state budget compared to the current budget, but it also includes more than $14 billion in reserve funds.
Legislators need to pass a new budget by June 30
DeSantis' proposal is a budget of $115.6 billion compared to the current budget of just over $116 billion.
As lawmakers begin debate on the new budget, it is not expected to be as volatile as the immigration debate during the special session last month.
Legislators quickly closed a special session on immigration that DeSantis called for, then convened their own session.
Despite a heated debate between lawmakers and the governor, both sides agreed on a plan that ultimately passed, giving Florida some of the toughest laws targeting people in the country illegally.
Talking about the immigration bill, DeSantis said, “I'm proud of my friends here in the legislature for stepping up and answering the call. I know there were some differences about whether we needed to do it. And I think everyone now is glad that we got the strongest legislation in the country passed, signed, and then executed in record time."
DeSantis recently floated an idea of ending property tax for Florida homeowners, but that is not included in the governor’s budget proposal.
It’s not likely legislatures would have enough time to address the idea, or incorporate into the state’s next budget that begins on July 1.