House Budget Committee advances $113.6 billion proposed GAA for fiscal year 2627

The House Budget Committee on the floor advanced the House Proposed General Appropriations Act (PCB BUC 26-01) for fiscal year 2627, recommending a total appropriation of $113,600,000,000 and reporting the implementing bill (PCB BUC 26-02) favorably as well.

Chair McClure opened the meeting and outlined the process for consideration, saying the panel would hear subcommittee highlights before taking questions. Vice Chair Valdez presented the topline figure: "This is the House proposed budget for fiscal year 2627 is a 113,600,000,000.0," and noted the proposal represents a $1,300,000,000 reduction from the current year while leaving nearly $12,000,000,000 in reserves.

Education funding was a major focus in committee. Chairperson Malika described the preK–12 package: a $21.3 billion preK–12 total with FEFP totals presented as roughly $30.3 billion (about $16.3 billion in state funds and $14.0 billion in local funds). Malika said the base student allocation rises by $129.11 and that total funds per unweighted FTE increase by $247.60, aligning the 2.7% per-student increase with a 2.7% CPI change. She also described a change to the Safe Schools allocation distribution intended to fund at least one safe-school officer per facility and said the change produces a 55% increase to that allocation (an additional $158,300,000).

Members questioned several line items during a policy-area question period. Representatives pressed for details on the new Safe Schools distribution methodology, the forecasted $4.5 billion for Family Empowerment Scholarship funding, and reductions to local water projects and some ecosystem restoration line items. Chair Snyder confirmed the budget includes $500,000,000 for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program and that the proposal does not fund the Florida Forever program at this time. On trust-fund transfers, Chair McClure explained the committee reviewed trust funds and estimated about $300,000,000 in transfers, framing those as part of routine fiscal housekeeping tied to a three-year forecast.

Public witnesses from Orange County Public Schools and the Small School Districts Council urged the committee to address perceived unequal treatment in scholarship proration versus district proration and to ensure small districts are made whole; Chairperson Malika noted implementing-bill language to allow the Education Stabilization Fund to be used if scholarship numbers exceed forecasts.

After debate, the committee closed consideration and called roll on PCB BUC 26-01 and PCB BUC 26-02; both measures were shown as reported favorably. The committee also closed public testimony on both bills.

Next steps: the committee reported both the General Appropriations Act (PCB BUC 26-01) and its one-year implementing bill (PCB BUC 26-02) favorably to the next stage of consideration.