TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are currently in a special session in Tallahassee to finalize the state’s approximately $115 billion budget. The session was triggered in May 2026 by a stalemate during the regular legislative session.
Key points of contention include pay raises for state workers and other spending issues.
The special session, known as “budget week” in Tallahassee, is dedicated to negotiating, finalizing, and voting on the state budget. It became necessary after negotiations failed during the regular session.
A 72-hour cooling-off period, mandated by the state constitution, is required before lawmakers can vote on the final budget. The budget must be approved before July 1 to avoid a government shutdown.
During budget week, the final negotiations take place between budget chiefs and legislative leaders to resolve differences between the House and Senate proposals. These disagreements can reach up to $1.4 billion and are often settled privately.
The “bump” process addresses budget items that cannot be agreed upon by subcommittees. These unresolved issues are then elevated to higher-level committee chairs for final decisions.
Special sessions occur if the 60-day legislative session ends without a budget deal, focusing on finalizing the budget, especially in education, transportation, and agriculture.
Lawmakers must pass the budget before the state’s July 1 fiscal year begins. Failure to do so would result in a government shutdown.
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