Gov. Rick Scott is confident that higher courts will overturn Circuit Judge Jackie Fulfords decision Tuesday to block the less-than-year-old law to require state employees to contribute 3 percent of their pay toward Florida's pension program.
Its clearly constitutional. I cannot imagine a judge making this decision, Scott told reporters Tuesday night outside the Capitol.
The legislative session is now on track to be completed on time Friday.
The House agreed Monday to a Senate plan to create a 12th state university, while the Senate settled on the House proposal on how to draw $300 million from the other 11. The agreements were among the final pieces of the approximately $70 billion state spending plan.
A complete fiscal plan will be fully unveiled Tuesday morning, allowing the required 72-hour waiting period before a final vote can be taken in both chambers and sent to Gov. Rick Scott for final approval.
A bill to reduce the number of policies handled by the bloated Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will advance to a full Senate vote as early as Tuesday.
However, an amendment narrowly added to the bill on Monday, in a 21-18 vote that included a number of Republicans, could be enough of a disturbance to sweep away the effort to reform the state-run Citizens.
The fiscal impact to higher education still stands in the way of Florida legislators reaching a deal on a budget that should top $70 billion.
The states budget chiefs from the House and Senate will continue Monday negotiating the difference out of the fiscal plan. Efforts intensified Friday when unsettled issues were bumped up to Senate Budget Chairman J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, and House Appropriations Chairwoman Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring.
Florida's two biggest business lobbying groups have been mostly satisfied with the ongoing legislative session, even as a number of big ticket items have yet to be resolved and one was on the losing side of the high-profile -- and ultimately unsuccessful --attempt to bring three large casinos to South Florida.
The agendas for both the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida place both business-friendly organizations on track for another successful session.
Leaders of the House and Senate budget committees may need to keep working on budget issues, but both said talks between the chambers are progressing.
Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, and his budget counterpart in the House, Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, said they are convinced budget talks should be easy to resolve this weekend.
With the session winding down, the governor and his staff have played a more hands-on role than in his freshman session.
In addition to one-on-one sit-downs in the governors office with legislators, Gov. Rick Scott has maintained direct contact with legislative leaders in the effort to reform personal injury protection, increase funding for Floridas public schools, cover business tax cuts and throughout the overall budget process.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said Friday hes open to returning in a special session if the states low-cost auto coverage isnt resolved by the end of next week, when the regular session is scheduled to end.
The House and Senate are advancing vastly different bills to meet Gov. Rick Scotts goal to reform the fraud that has become a major part of the cost of the personal injury protection insurance.
