TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner is offering to hold a June special session to reach a deal on a new state budget.
Gardiner on Thursday sent a letter to House Speaker Steve Crisafulli asking for the session.
The House abruptly adjourned the regular session earlier in the week due to a disagreement over health care spending and Medicaid expansion.
The Senate is pushing to expand health care coverage to 800,000 Floridians because of the expected loss of more than $1 billion in federal aid for hospitals.
Gardiner says holding a special session in June will give the state time to hear whether the federal government would approve a new hospital funding proposal.
A spokeswoman for Gardiner, however, said the Senate is not giving up its support for expansion.
Crisafulli in a statement hailed the offer as “progress.” He said he would respond soon.
Gardiner proposed holding the session from June 1-20.
