Florida Budget Process

Transcription

1 Florida Budget Process THE PLAYERS Executive/Administrative Governor o Office of Policy and Budget Departments and Agencies Legislative House of Representatives o House Appropriations Committee Education Appropriations Subcommittee Fresen, Erik Raburn, Jake Taylor, Dwayne L. Adkins, Janet H. Ahern, Larry Castor Dentel, Karen Fitzenhagen, Heather Dawes Jones, Mia L. Lee, Jr., Larry O'Toole, H. Marlene Perry, W. Keith Reed, Betty Stone, Charlie o Committee on Education Senate o Senate Appropriations Committee Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee Senator Bill Galvano Senator Bill Montford Senator Joseph Abruzzo Senator Aaron Bean Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto Senator Dwight Bullard Senator Nancy C. Detert Senator Dorothy L. Hukill Senator John Legg Senator Garrett Richter Senator Maria Lorts Sachs

2 Senator David Simmons Senator John Thrasher o Committee on Education Joint Legislative Budget Commission THE PROCESS Like most states, Florida is constitutionally required to balance its budget each fiscal year. This means the state cannot spend more than it receives in revenue. Florida s fiscal year runs from July 1 st to June 30th. The budget process pretty much takes up the whole year. The creation of the state budget begins each fall with the development of the Long Range Financial Outlook. The Long Range Financial Outlook is a constitutionally required report that is approved by the Legislative Budget Commission (made up of members from both chambers) each September. Florida s state agencies submit the details of their budget needs, called Legislative Budget Requests, to both the Legislature and the Governor. Thirty days prior to the start of Legislative Session, the Governor is required by law to present his or her budget recommendations to the Legislature. During the annual 60-day Legislative Session, both the House and Senate work to pass their own appropriations bills within their respective chambers. Three bills make up the budget General Appropriations Bill - establishes the funding sources, specific uses of funds as well as the spending authority. State entities (including state agencies, the governor, judges, the legislature, etc.) cannot spend dollars from the State Treasury without the legislatively expressed authority to do so first. Implementing Bill - effective for only one fiscal year, it enacts any language necessary to implement the budget as defined in the general appropriations bill. Conforming Bill - amends the Florida Statutes in order to comply or conform to an appropriations bill. The Senate and House pass their respective bills. As these bills rarely confer, the legislature charges a conference committee to produce a conference report. The resulting bill passed by the House and Senate is referred to as the General Appropriations Act. The Act is sent to Governor for signature and has line-item veto authority over its contents.

3 TIMELINE May July Governor s Office and the Legislature issue requests for state agencies to begin developing long range program plans and budget requests which lay out the programs and funding needs of each agency for the next fiscal year. July 1st New fiscal year begins (budget debated and approved in Spring takes effect) Mid-October Agencies submit requests to Governor. Fall Legislature and agencies hold public hearings. February Governor sends budget request to legislature. Mid-February - Legislative committees hold public meetings with agency leaders and interested citizens before official convening of legislature. March Legislature convenes and debates budget. May Legislature sends conferenced budget to Governor. June 30 th Fiscal year ends. New budget should be enacted.

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5 SOURCES Florida s Budget Process, Florida Office of Public Information, accessed August 22, 2013, ntent/opi/lists/announcements/attachments/45/opi%20pulse%20- %20Florida's%20Budget%20Process% pdf&Area=House Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Florida House of Representitives, accessed August 22, 2013, 75&CommitteeId=2700 Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, The Florida Senate, accessed August 22, 2013,