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.
Alexander expressed optimism to the Senate on Friday that they should be able to iron out any differences in the separate, approximately $70 billion fiscal plans by Monday, which could keep the 2012-2013 Florida budget on schedule to go before both chambers late next week.
The state requires a cooling-off period between the printing of the proposed final budget and its adoption.
Grimsley and Alexander are expected to hold their first meeting on the negotiated budgets Friday night.The talks likely will continue through the weekend.
Most conference committees have been meeting regularly since Tuesday and making significant progress, Grimsley told the House Friday morning.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
