Florida budget

The Florida Legislature has a little more than a week to decide on several initiatives, including teacher pay raises and how to spend federal money received from the American Rescue Plan.

The state still faces financial fallout due to the coronavirus pandemic despite receiving a huge influx of federal money.

It includes increased money to address affordable housing, as well as funds to repair the former Piney Point processing plant.

The Senate would use funds received through the American Rescue Plan. Senate President Wilton Simpson said it is "a catastrophe waiting to happen for too long."

Similar to the Senate proposal, the House health care plan recommends reducing Medicaid payments for inpatient and outpatient hospital care by $288 million.

The austere proposal would whack funding for hospitals and reduce spending on services meant to keep people with intellectual and developmental disabilities out of institutions.

The state budget, health care, education and a controversial proposal to change Florida's vote-by-mail process are among the issues facing lawmakers in the session starting March 2.

Local legislators say the $1.4 billion Westshore interchange in Tampa could be among 77 road projects that could be cut or delayed.

Funding for the state's main land preservation program would be halved, if Gov. Ron DeSantis' budget proposals are adopted.

The governor did not recommend Medicaid rate cuts for nursing homes or hospitals, pleasing those facilities. But other groups said the plan falls short in funding for people with developmental disabilities.

The budget proposal would increase funding for public schools and target environmental projects, including Everglades restoration, despite shortfalls from the coronavirus pandemic.

Appropriations Chairman Jay Trumbull says possible assistance from the federal government won't make up for the shortfall.