Florida's legislature has extended its session to finalize a budget deal that includes a $2.8 billion tax cut package [2, 3]. Lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee the week of May 12 to negotiate the details [2, 3, 13].
The tax cuts are a key point of discussion, with the House proposing a permanent reduction of the state sales tax from 6% to 5.25% [2, 5]. The Senate's plan includes eliminating sales taxes on clothing and shoes costing $75 or less [2, 6]. House Speaker Daniel Perez has stated that the final budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, will be less than Governor Ron DeSantis' proposed $115.6 billion [2, 3].
The House's tax package is estimated to cost nearly $5.5 billion, while the Senate's plan would cost approximately $2.1 billion [1]. Disagreements between the House and Senate also extend to their respective budget recommendations, with the House proposing $113 billion and the Senate proposing $117.4 billion [1]. The extended session is scheduled to end on June 6 [16, 17].
Sources: News Service of Florida; Miami Herald; CiberCuba; Spectrum News 13; Florida Senate; WLRN; CBS News; WUSF; Avalara.