FLORIDA NEWS SUMMARIES
In April, state revenue exceeded expectations by roughly $750 million. Moreover, the state doubled its reserve fund without touching a cent throughout the pandemic, DeSantis noted. • State revenue, he further forecasted, will continue to exceed expectations in the months to come. Source: Florida Politics, May 5, 2021 Florida lawmakers return for special session to hash out gaming deal. • Florida lawmakers are set to reconvene at the State Capitol this week to consider last month’s gaming deal struck between Florida and the Seminole Tribe. • The new compact, reached last month between the Tribe and Governor Ron DeSantis, could legalize sports betting in the country’s third most populous state, expanding the gambling scene and giving Floridians the ability to wager on sporting events. • The deal would give the Tribe exclusive rights over sports betting in the state, allowing the Tribe to open statewide mobile sports wagering and retail sportsbooks. Source: The Capitolist, May 17, 2021 Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Announces Florida’s Withdrawal from Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program • Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced another key step to returning more Floridians to work, following April’s labor statistics which show total privatesector employment increased by 18,800 jobs and more than 460,000 online job postings available throughout the state for job seekers. • Florida will end its participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, the $300 per week supplemental FPUC payment, effective June 26, 2021, as part of DEO’s ‘Return to Work’ initiative.
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Florida & Metro Forecast / July 2021
• The additional federal Reemployment Assistance benefit programs, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation, will continue for the time being as DEO continues to carefully monitor job posting and industry hiring trends. Source: Florida DEO, June 1, 2021 Florida Gov. DeSantis signs $101.5 billion state budget, helped by federal cash • Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Wednesday a $101.5 billion state budget that spends heavily on public works projects, the environment, and $1,000 bonuses for many Floridians on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. • The spending plan for the year starting July 1 is by far the largest in state history – 10% bigger than the current budget. • In the spending plan, $1,000 bonuses are paid to teachers, principals, first responders and correctional officers — cash portrayed by GOP leaders as a thank you for the work so many Floridians did during the pandemic. Source: Herald-Tribune, June 5, 2021
