Kelli Stargel

Among the budget items agreed upon is $20 million a year for 30 years to help finance a Moffitt Cancer Center expansion in Pasco County, and suspending state gas taxes in October.

House and Senate negotiators finished reaching agreement Thursday, though a missed deadline will force the legislative session to extend until Monday for the votes.

Instead of shifting away money from 12 districts that required masks, legislation would set up a $200 million reserve fund from which the 55 counties that followed state directives would be rewarded.

The session was scheduled to end on Friday, but state law requires a 72-hour “cooling off” period before lawmakers can vote on the budget.

The Republican-controlled Senate rejected a series of amendments proposed by Democrats to the Parental Rights in Education bill. A vote could come as soon as Tuesday.

Sen. Lauren Book says the measure, as it is written, takes "power and control away from" women.

Bill sponsor Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, defended the decision to reject a proposed amendment to make exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

The proposal was approved by the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee in a 12-6 vote.

A new bill in the Florida legislature would ban most abortions after 15 weeks. The measure is scheduled for its first committee hearing Wednesday. Already advocates and lawmakers are lining up to fight for their side of the issue.

A group of Democratic lawmakers and activists supporting abortion access called the bills "oppressive" and "dangerous."

Under the bills, abortions after 15 weeks could be performed if the pregnant woman's life or health are at serious risk, but not in cases of rape or incest.

House Appropriations Chairman Jay Trumbull pointed to the decision to reopen Florida’s economy while other states remained on pandemic lockdown as a reason Florida's budget is in "great shape."