As legislators get back to Tallahassee after the Easter weekend, all eyes are on the Florida Legislature where the two chambers are wide apart on the budget, mostly over Medicaid expansion.
The divide between the two chambers of the Florida Legislature -- both under secure Republican control -- was on display in Tallahassee this past week as they try to reach common ground on the budget.
For years, Republicans have had the run of the Legislature with massive advantages over the Democrats in both the House and the Senate. Currently, Republicans have a veto-proof majority in the House and have a smaller majority in the Senate.
Even with these majorities in both legislative chambers, Republicans are far apart on the budget. Medicaid expansion, mandated by Obamacare, divides the chambers as they offer their budget proposals. The Senate, which is ready to accept Medicare expansion, is proposing an $80.4 billion budget. The House rejects the expansion and its budget clocks in at $76.2. billion.
This is par for the course. Over the years, the House has shaped up as far more conservative than the Senate. Moderate Republicans have more ability to make waves in the Senate than they do in the House. Plenty of conservative proposals from the House on tort reform to school choice ideas like the parent trigger to moving state employee pensions in line with the private sector have died in the Senate in recent years.
With the implications for the budget as a whole, this divide will command a lot of attention in the days to come. Neither side shows any inclination of backing down and, while there is still the rest of the month to go until sine die, there are already rumors of a special session. Those rumors are only getting louder as both chambers dig in.
Richard Corcoran raised the stakes on Thursday as the House passed its version of the budget. Taking to the floor, Corcoran offered an impassioned speech against the Senate budget and left no room for doubt: he and the House majority are not going to back down on the issue. Corcoran has a lot riding on the matter. Besides being the current House Appropriations Committee chair, Corcoran is waiting in the wings to become speaker after next years elections.
The Senate responded in kind, showing little inclination of backing off their budget with the Medicaid expansion. Tom Lee, the Senate Appropriations chairman, is signaling that his chamber wont retreat, either.
Its a standoff that wont be easily solved over the next few weeks even as negotiations are about to begin. This one could get a lot uglier before its all done.
Tallahassee based political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis exclusively for Sunshine State News.
