With the Florida Legislature currently in special session to pass a budget and debate Medicaid expansion, an expert on state affairs offered his take on what will happen in Tallahassee.
Barney Bishop, now the president and CEO of Barney Bishop Consulting and formerly the president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) and the executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, was in Orlando on Tuesday to attend Gov. Rick Scott’s “Economic Growth Summit” and shared his thoughts about the special session with Sunshine State News.
“I don’t think it will go extra innings but I think it will go until the end,” Bishop said about the special session. “There are so many budget issues that will be riding on both Medicaid expansion and the LIP. They’re going to try to make it possible to get as much compromise as possible on that issue.
“The question really is, is the state going to put up any of the matching dollars to get the federal Medicaid dollars,” Bishop added.
Looking at the two chambers, Bishop does not see House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, and incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Lutz, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, backing down in their opposition to Medicaid expansion.
“I don’t see the House compromising on Medicaid expansion at all,” Bishop told Sunshine State News. “The Senate will move first because, I think, they’re more willing to be flexible.
“The House has dug in their heels,” Bishop continued. “Of course, this is why we’re in special session to begin with but I don’t think the House blinks.”
Bishop said the Legislature could not wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to make a ruling in King vs Burwell, a case regarding President Barack Obama’s federal health-care law subsidies, later this month since it needs to pass a budget. But Bishop predicted a “quick turnaround” for legislators with committee meetings throughout autumn.
Asked if the House and Senate would be closer if it eliminated turkey projects, Bishop called it a “valid issue” but noted these do not take funds away from state agencies’ priorities.
“State legislators know best what is needed in their district” Bishop said, adding Gov. Rick Scott has been a strong fiscal watchdog. “I think the governor has got a good model for what he vetoes ... a tough model to adhere to but it’s an appropriate one. Every governor has used that to be effective in making sure that projects don’t make it through the budget that aren’t necessary.”
Ed Dean, a senior editor with SSN whose talk-show can be heard on radio stations across Florida, can be reached at ed@sunshinestatenews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @eddeanradio. Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
