The Florida House has adjourned for the 2015 lawmaking session. The move comes as the legislature was gridlock over whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
The Florida legislature 鈥� at odds over the expansion of Medicaid 鈥� abruptly ended its session three days early on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of bills unrelated to health care unfinished.
Senate President Andy Gardiner says he鈥檚 disappointed with the House鈥檚 decision.
鈥淭he House didn鈥檛 win, the Senate didn鈥檛 win and the taxpayers lost. There are a lot of issues that aren鈥檛 going to make it, and it鈥檚 unfortunate.鈥�
But House Speaker Steve Crisafulli says it was the right thing to do.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made every effort we can to negotiate with the Senate on a budget and at this time they鈥檙e standing strong on Medicaid expansion.鈥�
Shortly after the adjournment, Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, against the federal government over healthcare funding, to the derision of Senate leadership.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it changes anything. Once he announced he was going to file a lawsuit against the federal government, I think everyone sort of shut down and lawyer-ed up and all that sort of thing,鈥� said Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee.
Here鈥檚 a brief overview of the fight: The Republican-led state House is firmly against Medicaid expansion, while the Republican-led state Senate supports it. Scott once supported expansion but is now against it.
And the federal government raised the stakes of the battle by refusing to negotiate on the renewal of a $2 billion fund called the Low Income Pool that reimburses hospitals for unpaid bills.
鈥淭he pool money was about helping low-income people have access,鈥� U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell told WFSU in January. 鈥淚 think we believe an important way to extend that coverage to low-income individuals is what passed in the Affordable Care Act, is this issue of Medicaid expansion.鈥�
Scott鈥檚 suit says it鈥檚 a case of coercion 鈥� Florida must expand Medicaid or lose $2 billion 鈥� and that was expressly forbidden by the Supreme Court when it upheld the health law in 2012.
House Appropriations Chief Richard Corcoran recently delivered a 20-minute speech against Medicaid to fellow lawmakers.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 my message to the Senate: They want us to come dance? We鈥檙e not dancing,鈥� Corcoran said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not dancing this session, we鈥檙e not dancing next session, we鈥檙e not dancing next summer. We鈥檙e not dancing. And if you want to blow up the process because you think you have some right that doesn鈥檛 exist? Have at it.鈥�
Scott also tried to pressure the legislature to the bargaining table to craft a state budget. He threatened to veto Senate priorities. But the Senate remained unmoved.
Now, the one task the legislature is mandated to do鈥攁 budget鈥攔emains incomplete, and major priority bills, such as prison reform, Amendment One funding, and Medical Marijuana, are dead. So are bills that would expand educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
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Update 4:47 p.m.:Governor Rick Scott is going forward with a lawsuit against the federal government over healthcare funding. The move came after the Florida House abruptly adjourned over the Medicaid dispute with the Senate, and Senate President Andy Gardiner says he鈥檚 disappointed.
鈥淭he House didn鈥檛 win, the Senate didn鈥檛 win and the taxpayers lost. There are a lot of issues that aren鈥檛 going to make it, and it鈥檚 unfortunate," he said.
But House Speaker Steve Crisafulli says it was the right thing to do.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made every effort we can to negotiate with the Senate on a budget and at this time they鈥檙e standing strong on Medicaid expansion.鈥�
The House鈥檚 decision to adjourn means there is no budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and top priority reform bills to Florida鈥檚 prisons, and water issues, remain un-addressed.
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Update:Here's a transcript of House Speaker Steve Crisafulli's comments to House lawmakers on the chamber's decision to go home early:
I want to thank the Florida House for their commitment to the 2015 Work Plan joint agenda with the Senate. The Florida House passed legislation that covered every principle in the joint plan.
During session, the House worked tirelessly to implement the Work Plan developed in partnership with the Senate to pave a stronger future for Florida families.
Together, the Florida House passed bills to cut taxes by $690 million, create a comprehensive water policy bill, establish a transparent structure for Amendment 1 funding, reduce student testing while maintaining accountability (signed into law), lower tuition, strengthen families by promoting adoptions (on the Governor鈥檚 desk), and secure pathways to economic independence for persons with disabilities. I firmly believe that each of these bills will greatly benefit Floridians.
Despite our differences on Medicaid expansion, it is noteworthy that the House and Senate appear to have found common ground on long contentious issues such as PSC reform, ALF reform, comprehensive Department of Corrections reform, mental health reform, and Grandparents鈥� Rights (sent to the Governor).
We look forward to returning to Tallahassee for a special session to complete our work on the budget prior to the July 1 deadline.
The decision by the Florida House means priority bills that haven't gone through both chambers, are now dead.
Check back later on or more on this story.
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