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Healthcare Debate Splits Families, Legislature

April 27th, 2015 by Mike Vasilinda

The Florida Legislature began its final week with big questions about what will get done.  A budget stalemate over health care will send lawmakers into overtime, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, most legislation will live or die when the week is over.

As Lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday, the 2015 session is likely to be remembered more for what didn’t happen than did.

At top of the list: a budget

Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) says it was a missed opportunity. “Budget negotiations should have started long ago and they haven’t. And the reason they haven’t is because we haven’t been able to get the heath care issues resolved” said Gaetz.

As a Senator. Don gaetz supports the Senate plan to expand health care for the working poor. Across the rotunda, his son State Representative Matt Gaetz is adamantly opposed  “We both have strong views. Senator gaetz believes we should expand Medicaid. I think we shouldn’t. And hopefully as a legislature we’ll perform our constitutional duty of crafting a budget” says the son and House member.

It has been 55 days since Rick Scott called on lawmakers to cut taxes on cell phone, cable tv, textbooks, and more. Sen. Nancy Detert (R-Venice) says the cuts and going nowhere until the fight over health care is settled. “Nobody is getting anything that they want right now and until we see what the budget is, and we won’t have one by Friday, so, all remains to be seen.”

As lobbyists hand outside the chamber doors, they and lawmakers will use the final week to try and salvage something to take home.

Surprisingly, the most heavily lobbied bill this week is the so called Whiskey and Wheaties bill. That would allow big box stores to sell liquor inside their main store.  It’s fate, along with hundreds of other bills, won’t be know until Friday.

In the first seven weeks, lawmakers passed just two dozen bills. Last week, another hundred were sent to the Governor….this week could see another hundred or more.

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