Tallahassee, FL (AP) - State lawmakers in the Florida House are signing off on a nearly $69.2 billion budget.

The Florida House on Thursday voted 79-38 along partisan lines in favor of the budget, which will set the stage for negotiations during the final month of the annual session.

Republicans called the budget responsible because it boosts money for schools without raising taxes.

But Democrats criticized the budget because it limits emergency room visits for the poor, cuts off benefits for some foster children, raises tuition for college students, raises standards for the state's popular Bright Futures scholarship and eliminates thousands of state jobs.

The Senate is moving slower on its budget proposal for 2012, but Senate President Mike Haridopolos said this week he expects his chamber to wrap its budget by next week.

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Statement by Rep. Darryl Rouson Regarding Florida Budget
Office of Rep. Rouson

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- State Rep. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) issued the following statement regarding today's debate in the Florida House of Representatives on a proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Florida budget.

"By the contents of our budget and the other bills we pass, we make clear what defines us as a people. So today, I voted against the state budget as proposed by the House. This year, like last, our budget failed to look at any creative revenue sources to balance out the cuts which will be placed on our school children, our hospital patients, our nurses, our judicial branch employees, and our foster children; essentially, the middle class employees of Florida. Again, the legislature failed to look at online sales in our state which continue to go uncollected. This is to the detriment of our local businesses here in Florida.

"Additionally, this budget does not provide more money to our K-12 education. The extra `$1 billion' does not bring the education budget up to where it was before the drastic cuts last year. We are also raising tuition on our state university students while making Bright Futures both harder to get into and funded with fewer dollars.

"There is good in the budget but there is more bad on balance. I too want to see Hillsborough Correctional Institution remain open and I applaud the people of Jefferson County who showed up, proclaimed their populist plight through the power of measured protest which propelled us to prove our position, people over dollars.

"I cannot support the decisions which lead to these drastic and harmful cuts."

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Rep. Lori Berman Says Proposed State Budget is `Sorely Lacking'
Office of Rep. Berman

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The following are the prepared remarks of Rep. Lori Berman (D-Delray Beach) who spoke today on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives in opposition to a proposed state budget crafted by Republican leaders.

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budget before this legislature today represents multiple years of significant cuts. This legislature is no longer cutting fat but has moved to `bone.' There is no more low hanging fruit and all these cuts affect our constituents and the services they receive.

"I ran for this office on a platform that included implementing an internet sales tax, eliminating corporate tax loopholes and assuring that all sales tax exemptions serve a public purpose. Imagine what this chamber could do with the revenue from these measures.

"Many of the cuts in the budget today could be avoided. Trust fund sweeps could be reduced or eliminated and higher education tuition hikes of 8 percent could be lowered.

"In health care alone, an extra $500 million would make the 7 percent hospital inpatient and outpatient rate cuts unnecessary, restore Medicaid podiatric and chiropractic services to over 30,000 beneficiaries, and allow the age of beneficiaries in independent living to remain at 23.

"Not only do I object to this budget for all these cuts, but I also cannot vote for a budget that only minimally addresses our economic troubles. Where are the bold job creation measures? What is this chamber doing to get people back to work?

"Our constituents are hurting and have had to look for ways to improve their income and find jobs. We owe it to them to increase state revenue and create jobs – something this budget is sorely lacking. Members please join me in voting 'no' today."

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STATEMENT BY HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER RON SAUNDERS ON REJECTION OF HOUSE BUDGET

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders (D-Key West) issued the following remarks Thursday following his "no" vote on the proposed House 2012-13 state budget:

"The state spending plan passed by the Florida House today fails to adequately address the needs of the people of Florida. I cannot support a budget that is balanced on the backs of Florida's middle class and hard-working Floridians.

"I recognize that this is a very difficult budget. I am voting 'no' because I don't like the 8-percent tuition hikes included in this budget. I think the tuition hike imposes a tax on the middle class. I also don't like the cuts to vital health care programs in this budget. We are losing valuable federal funds by these cuts. Even though it is a challenging year to craft a state spending plan, this budget doesn't meet the public's expectations, and so, I am voting 'no.'

"The education funding in this budget is a step in the right direction. But the funding increases for K-12 programs are being done at the expense of higher education funding and to our health care programs. Republican leadership has crafted a budget that is robbing Peter to pay Paul. So, while I may like the fact that some education funding is improving, I don't like that it's coming at the expense of higher tuition and cuts to health care.

"Higher education funding should be a major priority. In an economy like we have in Florida, we should encourage people to go to college to get better job training. Unfortunately, the House budget raises tuition and cuts access to Bright Futures scholarships. Democrats in the Florida House of Representatives agree that Florida should encourage people to go to college.

"To create jobs and mount a robust economy recovery, Florida should invest in first-rate schools, quality transportation systems, good health care, and provide help for small businesses while maintaining a safety net for the vulnerable. Unfortunately, the budget that passed the House of Representatives today will not create the jobs and grow our economy as it should."