The 2013 Legislative Session hit a bit of a rough patch during its final week when House Democrats protested the lack of a plan for expanding healthcare coverage to low-income Floridians. That dissent did not, however, end up impeding the Friday evening adjournment of this year’s session.

Legislative leaders and Governor Scott appear to be justified in touting this year’s session a success. Not only did most of their priorities get enacted, Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford conducted the 60-day session with a degree of professionalism that everyone involved in the process seemed to appreciate. 

Florida State University certainly benefited this session. First and foremost was passage of the preeminence legislation, which provides $15 million in recurring funding for this initiative. Additionally, the university’s base budget was increased by about 8.9 percent compared to last year, and the legislature approved a 3 percent tuition hike. Plus, a pay raise for state employees was also enacted.

One piece of legislation that did not pass this session was the pension-reform bill, which would have closed off the defined-benefit option (Florida Retirement System) to new, fulltime employees, and required them to instead enroll in a 401(k)-style plan.

Please click here for more information on bills of interest that were passed and those that were not.

Still to come are the Governor’s veto decisions, which will likely be issued in mid- to late May.

Budget Update

For the first time in several years, the legislature came into the 60-day session with a surplus of funds.  As the clock ticked down toward sine die on Friday, May 3rd, House and Senate members voted out a record $74.5 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year.  Included in the budget is a base pay increase for state employees, a 3% tuition hike, funding for university preeminence and a overall increase to SUS funding of about $300 million, with FSU realizing an 8.9 percent increase over last year's budget.