June 1 is the traditional start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. This year it also marks the kickoff of a special session of the Florida Legislature.
The session date was set after weeks of conflict over differences on major health-care issues. The spending plan, in effect, was caught in the crossfire, which included the sudden adjournment of the House by Speaker Steve Crisafulli, three days before the official end of the session.
“We have done all that we can do for this session,” said Crisafulli on April 29. “I do not see a need to keep you here waiting around until the Senate decides they’re ready to negotiate with us. And so, having accomplished all that we can do, it’s time for us to go home.”
Both Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner are confident a new budget will be passed by the June 20 end of the special session – ahead of the start of the new fiscal year on July 1 -- averting a possible government shutdown. Also confident is Gov. Rick Scott.
“We have to get our budget done by the end of June….and I’m optimistic that we will have a good budget,” said the Governor. “Worst case, we need to have a budget that keeps government going, just funds critical services.”
The Governor has asked all state agency heads for a list of critical services. The Office of Policy and Budget has identified 13 critical service needs statewide. They include the Department of Transportation’s work program, current Medicaid spending, and environmental projects.
“People who are talking about government shutdowns have spent too much time in Washington,” State Sen. Don Gaetz, a Republican from Niceville and former Senate President. “That’s ‘Washington talk.’”
Gaetz reminds everyone that a balanced budget is required by the Florida constitution, and that there will be no continuation budget, and no shutdown.
“Instead, the House and the Senate will come together and develop a budget,” said Gaetz. “This year, it’s particularly difficult because of the health care debate. I believe there will be a budget package, there will be a lot of sharp debate and interesting proposals. But at the end of the day we’ll have a budget.”
It’s clear that the House and Senate remain at loggerheads over health care. At issue is a Senate plan to use federal Medicaid money – $2.8 billion -- to offer private health insurance to hundreds of thousands of low-income Floridians. That’s vehemently opposed by Gov. Scott and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli.
The chambers also disagree about how to handle the $2.2 billion Low Income Pool program, or LIP, which provides money for uncompensated health care charges. Gaetz says it remains unclear whether if it will be extended beyond June 30 because of Florida’s failure to implement new requirements.
“Those requirements basically were that wherever the patient that’s uninsured goes, that’s where the Low Income Pool money should be applied,” Gaetz said. “The federal government has required that we do that, [but] for a year the State of Florida chose not to make a proposal.”
Another closely watched issue will be Gov. Scott’s proposed a $673 million tax cut package. The House version provides $690 million in cuts, but the Senate offered no plan because of questions about health care funding. Look for negotiations on that measure sometime during the special session.