Entering the sixth week of the 2026 Florida Legislature, the House and Senate continue to pass bills out of committee, but at a slow pace.
The Republican-controlled Florida House passed 24 bills, and the Senate passed 25. Only two bill bills have passed both chambers. Aside from the billing bill, neither chamber has taken up the other’s bills, highlighting Tallahassee’s current impasse.
Additionally, nearly 900 bills have not been considered in either the House or Senate’s assigned committees, indicating that many bills will not cross the finish line this Congress. Additionally, many committees and subcommittees have held or are beginning to hold their final meetings of this session, making consideration of the bill even more difficult.
After much anticipation and timing uncertainty, the House and Senate have released their initial budget proposals for fiscal year 2026-27. The proposed House spending plan totals $113.5 billion, less than last year’s budget.
The current state Senate proposal is even larger at $115 billion. The House and Senate are expected to pass their own budgets in the coming weeks and reconcile their differences during the budget session. If the $1.5 billion gap is closed during the budget session, the Legislature’s final spending plan will go to Gov. Ron DeSantis for final approval.
Governor DeSantis has recommended a $117.3 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, vetoing each item.
Most recently, Governor DeSantis announced more than $8 million in awards through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund. Palm Beach State University, Broward University and Melbourne-Orlando International Airport received awards, and the funding supported aerospace and aviation, military and defense, financial services, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies.
Liberty Partners contributed to this article
