Floor Vote for

Vote After Roll Call:

Yeas

• Bartleman
  03/08/2024 01:47:47 PM
• Black
  03/08/2024 02:20:35 PM
• Casello
  03/15/2024 04:09:54 PM
• Griffitts
  03/08/2024 05:02:57 PM
• Melo
  03/28/2024 04:10:38 PM
• Rudman
  03/11/2024 09:47:47 AM
• Skidmore
  03/14/2024 02:30:45 PM
• Steele
  03/08/2024 10:33:40 PM

Explanations of Vote:

• Beltran -
  I am disappointed with the final budget. I was gratified when the Governor proposed a budget several billion dollars smaller than last year’s budget. I was also encouraged when the Speaker announced that, after many years of budget increases, the Legislature would finally pass a budget that is sustainable, even in difficult times. Instead, after budget conference, a process in which input from rank-and-file legislators is limited, the budget grew by several billion dollars. The overall budget now exceeds last year’s budget. The budget has increased every year I have been in the Legislature. These increases have outstripped both population growth and inflation. (If anything, government expenditures should be more resistant to such pressures due to economies of scale and purchasing power, respectively.) This spending has been justified on a variety of bases. The only compelling basis, and the reason for my acquiescence, was that funds from a series of massive federal spending packages were allocated to Florida with the requirement that they be spent. To the extent appropriate, I advocated to allocate excess funds to bona fide infrastructure and budget reserves. With the federal spending pressure abated, an inflated budget is no longer justified.
• Eskamani -
  I was glad to see several Central Florida priorities were included in this year's state budget. This includes enhanced funding for the University of Central Florida, $5 million for the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in downtown Orlando, and millions of dollars for infrastructure projects along with substance abuse dollars and funding for COCs. The budget also included more restrictions on New College of Florida and no additional funding for the Governor’s trafficking of asylum seekers. One area of funding that I was disappointed in was arts and culture programs; Florida's cultural and museum grant program is currently only being funded at 48%. We will continue to advocate for 100% funding next legislative session.
• Joseph -
  Although I support most of the budget and successfully advocated to include over $2 million for much-needed projects in my District, I voted NO because, inter alia: - disproportionate underfunding of Member projects in Black communities beyond infrastructure - public funding for private prisons--though I support upgrades to humanize public state prisons - using Florida taxpayer funds out-of-state for the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program,” modern version of the "reverse freedom rides" - notwithstanding positive increases to selected reimbursement rates, refusal to expand Medicaid forfeits BILLIONS of federal funds for life-saving healthcare coverage to low-income Floridians. I filed HB 1529 to expand Medicaid, which would have helped Florida relinquish the distinction of having the fourth highest uninsured rate in the nation - defunding Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs - disproportionate failure to allocate promised funding to harden HBCUs, which were actually targeted in the racially-motivated Jacksonville shooting, especially as compared to Jewish Day School allocations - redirection of funding for traditional public schools to private and charter schools while also lifting income caps for K-12 vouchers - no direct relief to Floridian homeowners grappling with soaring property insurance rates, despite repeatedly allocating billions for corporations in special sessions