TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson said negotiations on the state budget could be completed Thursday, setting up final votes on the package Monday.
Legislative leaders acknowledged Tuesday night the need to extend the 60-day session beyond the scheduled completion on Friday, as work continued on the spending plan.
READ MORE: Calle Ocho Returns To The Streets Of Little Havana Sunday
Simpson, R-Trilby, announced at the start of a Senate floor session on Wednesday the work is expected to be completed Thursday.
“We may or may not be here Friday, but we will certainly come back Monday, I believe, to vote on the budget,” Simpson said.
READ MORE: Florida Panhandle Fires Expands To More Than 34,000 Acres
“We will debate it. We will have everything ready to go and probably come about noon Monday to vote on the budget, and that would be the final act of business.” State law requires a 72-hour “cooling off” period before the House and Senate can vote on the budget.
Lawmakers are expected to ultimately agree on a budget that will top $100 billion for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
MORE NEWS: Florida Couple Out For Bike Ride Found Stabbed To Death, Throats Slashed
(©2022 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)