Perez Nixes Budget Session, Stalling Treasure Coast Funds for Roads and Schools

Florida lawmakers will not return to Tallahassee next week to finish the state's overdue budget, House Speaker Daniel Perez confirmed Wednesday — leaving Treasure Coast counties without clarity on state funding for roads, schools, water projects and public safety heading into the new fiscal year.

For property owners in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, the delay means uncertainty around any state dollars tied to the 2026-27 budget cycle, including infrastructure grants and environmental restoration funding that local governments have been counting on. The longer Tallahassee waits, the tighter the timeline gets before the July 1 fiscal year start.

In a memo to House members, Perez pushed back against speculation that lawmakers would gather the week of April 13-17 to begin budget work. "We continue to work with our partners in the Florida Senate to build an allocation framework for the 2026-2027 State Budget," he wrote. "There has been some external speculation suggesting that we will be convening next week (April 13-17) to begin work on the budget. This is not accurate." Senate President Ben Albritton sent a similar message to senators, also dismissing the mid-April rumors, public documents indicate.

The Legislature adjourned its 2026 Regular Session on March 13 without passing a budget — the one bill the Florida Constitution requires lawmakers to approve each year. That left the spending plan unresolved nearly a month after session ended, an unusual position that puts every line item, including local projects, on hold.

The only confirmed date on the legislative calendar is a Special Session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis for the week of April 20, but that session is focused entirely on congressional redistricting, not the budget. Perez said House leaders would share more details about the redistricting session next week.

No date has been set for a budget session. House leaders said they would provide an update as soon as one is available — a vague timeline that offers little comfort to local budget planners on the Treasure Coast who must finalize their own county and municipal spending plans in the months ahead.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.