Florida House Unveils Budget Plan, Rejecting DeSantis Priorities

The $113.6 billion spending plan cuts funding for governor's immigration enforcement and Florida State Guard initiatives.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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In a surprise move, the Florida House released a $113.6 billion budget proposal that does not fund several key priorities of Gov. Ron DeSantis, including slashing funding for immigration enforcement efforts and providing no money for the Florida State Guard. The House budget is about $4 billion less than the governor's final spending plan and $1 billion less than the previous year's approved budget.

Why it matters

The House budget plan represents a significant departure from the governor's agenda, signaling potential tensions between the legislative and executive branches. The cuts to DeSantis' priorities around immigration enforcement and the Florida State Guard could have broader implications for the state's policies in these areas.

The details

The House budget plan eliminates funding for DeSantis' Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility in the Everglades and provides only $100 million for the emergency preparedness fund, with new restrictions on how the money can be used. The plan also does not include any funding for the Florida State Guard, which DeSantis revived in 2022 and has faced allegations of fraud and mismanagement.

  • The House budget plan was released on Thursday, February 13, 2026, while DeSantis was out of state participating in a golf tournament.
  • The Senate was caught off guard by the House's unilateral release of the budget proposal, forcing them to scramble to release their own version next week.

The players

Ron DeSantis

The current governor of Florida, whose priorities were not included in the House's budget proposal.

Florida House

The state legislative chamber that released the $113.6 billion budget plan, rejecting several of DeSantis' key initiatives.

Ben Albritton

The Republican president of the Florida Senate, who expressed surprise and tension over the House's unilateral release of the budget proposal.

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What they’re saying

“As you are aware, we had been hoping to release our budget proposal in concert with our partners in the House.”

— Ben Albritton, Florida Senate President

What’s next

The Florida Senate is expected to release its own budget proposal next week, setting up negotiations between the two chambers to reconcile the differences in their spending plans before sending a final budget to the governor.

The takeaway

The Florida House's budget plan represents a significant rebuke of Gov. DeSantis' priorities, signaling potential political tensions and a shift in the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches in the state.