Budget Watch - 2015 Special Session Preview

The Healthcare Debate Looms Over The Special Session, But There Are Many More Budget Issues To Be Decided

The 2015 Florida Legislative Session ended without a budget, so lawmakers will be returning to Tallahassee on June 1, 2015 to pass a state spending plan. This Special Session is scheduled to end on June 20, just 10 days before the new fiscal year begins and the new budget must be in place.

The legislative proclamation calling the Special Session has been issued and sets forth the bills that may be discussed. The session will be mostly limited to the budget, the budget implementing bill and budget conforming bills (including a tax cut package). Conforming bills make changes to statutes that are necessary to align state law with appropriations. Several healthcare related bills have also been included. There will likely be attempts to add other unresolved issues to conforming bills and even to the appropriations bill. Past legislatures have shown that the definition of “conforming” may be broadly construed.