State Proposes 44 Percent of 2021 State Budget to Human and Health Services

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – Governor Ron DeSantis‘ office presented the proposed 2021 budget for the state of Florida for $96.6 billion, in session with the Florida House of Representatives, an increase of $4.3 billion from the current year.

Forty-four percent of that budget would go to the Human Services department, as presented by Mary Beth Vickers, Policy Coordinator of the Health and Human Services Unit in the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget. It would be close to $42,5 billion.

Nearly 80% of that ($34 billion) would go to health care administration, followed by Children and Families ($3.4 billion), Department of Health ($3.152 billion), Disabilities ($1.556 billion), Elder Affairs ($364 million) and Veteran Affairs ($153 million).

Most of the funding for veterans’ affairs has gone into maintaining the six existing homes for veterans and the construction of two new ones, plus $350,000 in a suicide prevention campaign. Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the country, after California and Texas.

The Governor’s office also recommended a continuation of funding for the Elder’s Affairs office, especially important in a state where 4.5 million of its residents are over the age of 65.

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Juan Carlo Rodriguez is a politics and entertainment reporter for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com