Florida Budget

The $6.4 million would have provided free menstrual products for K-12 students.

Some Florida households will get discounts for efficiency upgrades that are predicted to save at least 20% of the home’s energy use, getting back between $2,000 and $4,000. Plus, low- to moderate-income families could get up to $14,000 for purchasing high-efficiency equipment.

Communities throughout the greater Tampa Bay region lost funds for infrastructure programs such as water main replacements, stormwater system repairs, shoreline revitalization, and road projects.

The 16 pages of cuts ranged from as little as $10,500 for a county public works generator to $80 million for group insurance for the state college system.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday his commitment to raise state funds for teacher salaries to $1.25 billion, an increase of almost a quarter-billion dollars. Public education advocates said that won't alleviate the teacher shortage.

The program, which which ended in January, started again this week. It will provide 50 percent credits to motorists with SunPass or other Florida transponders who make 35 or more toll-road trips a month.

They include funds to research the long-term health impacts of red tide, and more money for the removal of Burmese pythons and other non-native species. The budget now awaits Gov. DeSantis' approval.

They included a wide-ranging plan to expand access to health care, and a bill aimed at keeping children under age 16 off social media.

After a flurry of last-minute votes on bills, Florida lawmakers Friday passed a $117.46 billion state budget and ended the 2024 legislative session.

Florida’s annual legislative session is set to end on time Friday now that the legislature has released the final details of its $117.5 billion spending plan.

Lawmakers released the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year on Tuesday and prepared to pass it Friday as they end the annual legislative session.

Democratic lawmakers expressed concerns about the budget not including enough money for state prisons, agriculture, and rural development projects.