Florida lawmakers end controversial session with flurry of last-minute deals and big budget

The spending plan for the year beginning July 1 is 10% bigger than the current budget, after being fattened by billions of dollars in federal stimulus money. 

That allowed for more cash to go into public works projects, environmental programs, reserves and $1,000 bonuses for teachers, first responders and others at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally published by John Kennedy in the Herald-Tribune on April 30, 2021.