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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida budget talks extended, final plan still pending
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The end of Florida's 2025 legislative session may finally be in sight, but not without another extension. 'When all is said and done on the 16th, I think we'll have a balanced budget our constituents will be proud of,' said Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. WATCH: Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested on racketeering charges House and Senate members returned to the floor Thursday to extend the budget deadline, for a third time. While leaders say they're making headway, lawmakers still haven't even gotten their hands on the budget yet.'We don't have any information, no idea what the budget looks like,' said State Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa. Budget cuts are expected, but there's just no clarity yet on where those cuts will fall. 'That's a sad place to be, knowing that you're going home and you can't really talk to constituents about the budget because we don't know what's in the budget,' said Hart. Speaking publicly for the first time since lawmakers have been back in Tallahassee, Senate President Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez. 'We don't have a final product yet, but we both have the same goal,' Perez said. According to both leaders, the goal of this year's budget is to provide long-term stability and recurring relief for Floridians.'We're making decisions today that are going to be super helpful in the future,' said Albritton. Albritton highlighted tax holidays like back-to-school and hurricane preparedness — saying they are still a part of the budget. 'What we are trying to do is stop that from happening into the future. The only way you can do that is by tying up some of the savings,' said Perez. It continues to be a waiting game, and from here on out, it will be up to the budget chairs to finish the job. Lawmakers are expected to return the week of June 16th, with Senate leadership saying he's 90% positive the budget will be passed on time. 'It was a bumpy road, and I believe we are better for it,' said Albritton. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Our food is literally killing us': FL lawmakers propose warning labels for certain foods
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Concerns around ultra-processed foods and synthetic dyes have state lawmakers pushing legislation to ban chemical additives and require stronger warning labels. Florida lawmakers are demanding change in the food found in schools and what you buy in grocery stores. In a bipartisan move, lawmakers at the statehouse have filed several bills to tackle concerns around harmful chemicals found in Floridians' everyday diets. One bill looks to make nutrition labels a little bit more like warning labels, highlighting the negative impacts it has on children. Fired workers return to federal agencies — but are put on paid leave 'We cannot continue to ignore the truth about what is found in our food,' said State Rep. Debra Tendrich, D-Lake Worth. In a step toward a healthier Florida, lawmakers across chambers have several bills aimed at holding businesses accountable in the food industry and protecting the health of all Floridians.'Let's just be real, it's time we clean up our food system here in Florida,' said State Representative Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg. Senate Republicans are diving into the chemicals found in our food, while House Democrats are fighting for transparency on food labels. House Bill 641 seeks to require clear warning labels on food and beverages containing harmful dyes and also looks to task the state's department of agriculture and consumer services with inspections to ensure compliance.'Our food is literally killing us, but it's a slow tortured death that first robs us of you, of your health… And then eventually robs you of your life span, which is, by the way, shorter than it's ever been in our history,' said Todd Wagner, Co-founder of FoodFight USA. Florida could ban these chemical additives in foods by 2028 if bill passes The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently banned the use of red dye No. 3, and as food additive concerns rise on the federal stage, some Florida lawmakers are asking, 'What's the rush to speed past those efforts here on the state level?''Should we wait until the federal government completes their work so there's a uniform regulation?' said State Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson, D-St. Petersburg. In response, State Senator Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, said, 'I think waiting on the federal government has proven to be not beneficial to Floridians in a number of respects.' In a separate bill, Senator Martin's efforts to ban chemical additives in foods by 2028 passed out of its first committee, which gives lawmakers across the chamber hope that their bill will do the advocates and lawmakers note major food companies have reformulated their products for other countries, while it remains unclear if they will do that here at home in the Sunshine State. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
