As the rapidly evolving situation concerning the COVID-19 outbreak dominates news headlines, the Florida Legislature’s recently closed annual session isn’t getting as much attention as it has in past years. On March 19, state lawmakers passed a $93.2 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
The session went into overtime as legislators worked to incorporate coronavirus-related needs into the budget. However, the pandemic could cost the state billions of dollars in sales tax revenue, which will likely force lawmakers to reconvene for a special session this summer to rework the budget.
We’re joined by Florida Gulf Coast University Political Scientists Peter Bergerson, Ph.D., and Roger Green, Ph.D., to highlight bills that passed this year, bills that didn’t and how lawmakers are responding to the coronavirus.
