Budget Chiefs To Resume Negotiations

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) --  Senate and House officials will resume budget negotiations after a quiet Wednesday.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, and House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes are meeting Thursday.

The budget chiefs scheduled a noon meeting to discuss issues related to government operations and the criminal- and civil-justice systems.

Lawmakers started a special session June 1st after failing to agree on a budget during this spring's regular session. Conference committees met from Saturday through Tuesday, with unresolved issues then "bumped" up to Lee and Corcoran.

The budget chiefs did not meet publicly Wednesday.

Among the major remaining issues is how to divvy up money in the Low Income Pool program, send funds to hospitals and other health providers that care for large numbers of uninsured patients.

Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said he hopes lawmakers could vote on a final budget plan June 19th, a day before the scheduled end of the special session.

(The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)