A budget deal was reached on how much to fund state parks.
The House and Senate reached an agreement Sunday to invest millions into supporting the struggling citrus industry, maintain state parks and support other environmental projects.
The Legislature’s budget negotiators met behind closed doors during the Memorial Day holiday weekend to make the final push to finalize a budget after the Legislature failed to pass a spending plan during the Regular 60-day Session.
The two chambers struck a deal to fund $164.5 million in citrus research, $45 million on Farmers Feeding Florida, $3 million to fight Red Tide, $14.1 million beach projects and $10 million on oyster restoration.
The two Chambers reached an agreement on how much to spend on maintenance and repair for state parks. The finalized budget sets aside: $8 million Bald Point State Park’s campground in Alligator Point outside Tallahassee, $9 million on Colt Creek State Park’s equestrian facilities outside of Lakeland, $2.5 million for Silver Springs State Park’s swimming area in Marion County and $2 million on Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County.
Floridians are passionate about their state parks. In 2024, there was public outrage over the state’s plan to redevelop them.
In the late budget talks this weekend, the Senate also gave up its push for $65.5 million to restore the Ocklawaha River. The House passed a bill to green light the river restoration project but the measure died in the Senate as Gov. Ron DeSantis, who previously vetoed funding for the river, spoke out against it. The Senate had tried to insert funding for the river project into the budget but caved in the latest budget offer since the House was against it.
Leaders say they can still finish the budget before the end of May, but it could be close. A budget memo from House Speaker Daniel Perez has the budget leadership team meeting at 8 a.m. Tuesday to hold talks “until completion.”
If the budget hits desks that day, it starts the constitutionally required 72-hour cooling-off period, teeing up a House floor vote Friday, with the Senate to follow before Sine Die — with a month to spare before the July 1 start of the fiscal year.
This is the second straight year of a drawn-out budget; last year’s wasn’t passed until June 16.
