‘LIP’ DEAL STRUCK AS BUDGET TALKS CONTINUE
Lawmakers have agreed on a formula to divvy up about $2 billion in local, state and federal funding for hospitals, resolving an issue that helped derail the regular spring legislative session and forced lawmakers to return to Tallahassee for a rare June budget session. The deal finally appears to end the legislative debate over the Low Income Pool program, which provides funding to hospitals and other health-care providers that care for large numbers of low-income patients. The federal government is reducing the so-called “LIP” program from $2.2 billion in the current budget year, which ends June 30, to $1 billion next year. In an effort to offset that drop, the legislative plan will use state money to draw down other federal funds to boost payments to all hospitals for Medicaid services. “It’s important, though, that we provided some stability in the health-care system for hospitals to understand that, yes, Low Income Pool is going to change, but we’re going to make a financial commitment on the state standpoint to help in that transition, and that’s what we did,” said Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando. “Once that was done, I think that’s a huge step forward.” Budget negotiations continue between Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, and House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes. The two are trying to finalize agreements on state spending for economic development, education and the environment. The News Service of Florida will have a full story later Friday.
BEIRUT MEMORIAL TO BE ADDED AT CAPITOL
Gov. Rick Scott has approved a plan that will lead to adding a memorial in the Capitol Complex to 241 members of the military who were killed more than three decades ago in a bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. Scott on Thursday signed a bill (HB 801), sponsored by Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, that calls for the memorial. U.S. forces were sent to Lebanon in 1982 as part of a multinational peacekeeping force during a civil war, but the bombing occurred on Oct. 23, 1983, when a truck carrying 2,000 pounds of explosives drove into a headquarters and barracks area and exploded. In another military-related issue, Scott signed a bill (HB 277), sponsored by Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach, that will ensure young service members are able to rent hotel rooms in Florida. Some hotels and other lodging establishments have minimum age requirements. But the bill would require hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfast inns to waive age restrictions for active-duty service members with valid military identification cards.
REPUBLICANS FILE FOR OPEN HOUSE SEATS
Two Republicans have opened campaign accounts to run next year for open House seats in Northwest Florida and the Space Coast, according to the state Division of Elections website. Crestview Republican Wayne Harris opened an account to seek to replace Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, in Okaloosa County’s House District 4. Gaetz is running for the Senate in 2016. Also this week, Melbourne Republican Monique Miller opened an account to run in Brevard County’s House District 52, which Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, will leave next year because of term limits. Melbourne Republicans Brian Hodgers and Robert VanVolkenburgh earlier opened accounts for the District 52 race.