The end is near.

Florida lawmakers are slated to finish their 60-day legislative session Friday after what will be a frenzy of activity. Like every other legislative session, lawmakers have left resolution of most major issues to the last week.

That will mean finishing negotiations in the coming days on a roughly $90 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Because of a constitutionally required 72-hour “cooling off” period, the budget will have to be done Tuesday for lawmakers to vote on it Friday.

A session-long drama over a top priority of House Speaker Jose Oliva is coming to an end after the Senate on Friday prepared to pass a far-reaching bill that would eliminate a controversial hospital regulatory program.

With little discussion, the Senate took up a House certificate-of-need bill (HB 21) and modified it to include what Senate sponsor Gayle Harrell said was an agreement between the chambers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desire to look at the effectiveness of the state’s tourism-marketing arm could save Visit Florida for at least a year.

House Speaker Jose Oliva, a Miami Lakes Republican who is among the leading critics of the tourism agency, signaled Friday he may be willing to go along with the governor’s request as time runs down on the legislative session.