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Florida House Abruptly Adjourns, Senate Pushes On

The Florida House adjourned three days before the end of the session.
The Florida House adjourned three days before the end of the session.

Without an agreement on the state budget in sight, the Florida House adjourned Tuesday afternoon three days early.

The House and Senate have locked horns over whether to expand Medicaid. The Senate wants expansion while the House is against it. And that rift has left a huge hole in the state budget.

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Hear 90.7's Catherine Welch discuss the House adjournment with Rep. Dennis Baxley.

Rep. Dennis Baxley, an Ocala Republican, said it’s time to quit and regroup. “I think a little air time on this and getting refocused, taking the other issues off the table, making it about closing the budget, it will make it possible,” Baxley said.

Senate President Andy Gardiner said he’s disappointed by the move. While addressing the chamber, Gardiner said he’s proud that the senate hasn't walked away from the issue. “We saw an issue dealing with uninsured and we saw an issue with the Low Income Pool,” said Gardiner. “We never claimed to have all the answers, we never said we did, but we were ready for the debate.”

Gardiner said the Senate will convene until the session ends Friday. Baxley expects a special session in June.