Governor DeSantis Signs Budget with Vetoes
Governor DeSantis signed the $100 billion state budget today, but not before vetoing $1.5 billion from the spending plan. The majority of the $1.5 billion line item vetoes is from federal American Rescue Plan dollars totaling $1.35 billion. DeSantis stated that because federal rules won’t allow the state to spend the federal dollars for an Emergency Response Fund to prepare for future emergencies or a Budget Stabilization Fund, he vetoed the two line items rather than run the risk of having to send the money back after spending it. Click here for a list of vetoes.
Nonetheless, some $10 billion in COVID-related federal aid from the American Rescue Plan pushed by President Biden and approved by congress, helped bolster Florida’s budget to a record level of funding. The budget does put away $9.5 billion into reserves, and extends Medicaid to new mothers and infants, and provides a $47,500 minimum salary for public school teachers among other items. Overall, the line-item vetoes totaled more than $1.5 billion, including the $1.35 billion from the federal funds. Other vetoes include a $40 million Affordable Housing Trust Fund sweep, $17 million State Transportation Trust Fund sweep, and a $10 million Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund sweep. These dollars will revert back into unallocated funding.