• The Florida House and Senate are at odds over budget allocations and a mental health bill (SB 1620), leading to an extended legislative session.
• The House removed a provision from SB 1620 to name a research center after Senator Darryl Rouson, sparking accusations of 'emotional blackmail' from the Senate and 'pettiness' from the Governor.
• The budget gap between the House and Senate is $4.4 billion, with disagreements over tax cuts and rural development funding contributing to the stalemate.

The Florida legislative session is facing significant challenges as the House and Senate struggle to reach an agreement on the state budget. A key point of contention is SB 1620, a mental health bill, specifically the House's decision to remove a provision that would have established a research center named after Senator Darryl Rouson. This has led to heated exchanges and accusations between the chambers, delaying the budget process and threatening other legislative priorities. The disagreements extend beyond this specific bill and include fundamental differences in approaches to tax cuts and funding for rural development.

• What: A budget impasse and a dispute over a mental health bill (SB 1620), specifically the removal of a provision for the Senator Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Research.
• Who: Key individuals include Senator Darryl Rouson, House Speaker Daniel Perez, Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ed Hooper, Senator Kathleen Passidomo, Senator Rosalind Osgood, and Senate President Ben Albritton. Key organizations include the Florida House of Representatives, the Florida Senate, and the University of South Florida.
• When: The events occurred leading up to the end of the 60-day legislative session on May 2, 2025. The Senate postponed the mental health bill after the House nixed the research center. The original budget deadline was May 2, 2025, but the session headed into overtime.
• Where: The events are taking place in Tallahassee, Florida, at the State Capitol.

The dispute over the mental health bill and the budget impasse highlights the deep divisions between the Florida House and Senate. The removal of the Rouson Center provision appears to be a symptom of broader disagreements on budget priorities and legislative power. Governor DeSantis's criticism of the House as the 'House of Pettiness' underscores the severity of the conflict. The accusations of 'emotional blackmail' and 'backdoor appropriations' reveal a breakdown in communication and trust between the chambers. The failure to reach a budget agreement by the end of the regular session could have significant consequences for state programs and services. The future of the mental health research center remains uncertain, pending further negotiations and potential special sessions.

I think the work of the commission is more important at this time.

The action of the Senate today — to name a center after Senator Rouson as a means of emotionally blackmailing the House into doing what they want — is unconscionable.

This is what we deal with. We will make it right, or else.

The Florida House of Pettiness in all its glory…

The Florida legislative session is in a state of turmoil due to disagreements over the budget and a mental health bill. The dispute over the Senator Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Research has become a symbol of the broader conflict between the House and Senate. With the budget deadline missed, the legislature faces the prospect of an extended session or a special session to resolve their differences. The future of the mental health research center and the state's budget priorities remain uncertain, pending further negotiations and compromise.