by POLITICO Florida’s Matt Dixon, Jessica Bakeman, and Daniel Ducassi

June 2, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott announced the legislative equivalent of a mulligan on Friday, calling lawmakers to return to the Capitol next week for a special three-day session to tackle contentious education and economic development issues that left some lawmakers with bitter feelings at the end of last month’s regular session.

Yet it appears a deal has already been hatched by Scott, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran. Among the key proposals: School funding to be increased by $100 per pupil, up from a $24 increase; $85 million to boost job creation; and $76 million to Visit Florida, the tourism marketing program whose budget had been drastically cut to $25 million.

The three-day special session begins next Wednesday and runs through Friday, but will not address medical marijuana, a subject that lawmakers tried — and failed — to address during the regular session.

Speaking at a press conference in Miami on Friday morning, Scott, Negron and Corcoran did not directly address a completed deal of any kind, stressing that votes from other members must still be taken. But talk of horse trading that would hand everyone a win began to bubble up Thursday night, with some details emerging on Friday. [READ MORE]