Gov. DeSantis signs $114.5 billion Florida budget, vetoes hundreds of millions in local projects

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida's $114.5 billion state budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, while wielding his line-item veto power to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in local projects, according to the governor's office.

The Republican governor approved the spending plan while eliminating specific appropriations through line-item vetoes, preserving most statewide programs while targeting local initiatives. The budget represents the state's spending priorities for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.

The approved budget increases funding for education, transportation and public safety, according to the governor's office. These statewide priorities survived the veto process largely intact.

However, the vetoes drew criticism from some state lawmakers who said the cuts were politically motivated and would harm their districts. The line-item vetoes eliminated local projects that had been included in the budget during the legislative process.

Florida's constitution grants the governor authority to veto specific line items in appropriations bills while signing the overall budget into law. This power allows the state's chief executive to eliminate individual spending projects without rejecting the entire spending plan.

The $114.5 billion budget reflects state revenue projections and spending priorities developed during the legislative session. State lawmakers passed the budget before sending it to DeSantis for his signature.

The education funding increases in the budget support Florida's public schools and education programs. Transportation improvements funded in the spending plan will support the state's infrastructure needs. Public safety funding addresses law enforcement and emergency services across Florida.

The vetoed local projects represented spending requests from legislators for their individual districts. These appropriations, often called "member projects" or "community funding requests," typically fund local infrastructure, community programs or regional initiatives.

Lawmakers who criticized the vetoes said the eliminated projects would have benefited their constituents. The specific dollar amount of the vetoes totals hundreds of millions of dollars, though that represents a small fraction of the overall $114.5 billion budget.

The budget takes effect at the start of the fiscal year and will fund state operations, services and programs through June 30, 2027. State agencies will implement the spending plan according to the appropriations and directives included in the legislation.

DeSantis has used line-item veto authority in previous budget years, a common practice among Florida governors of both parties.