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Florida House and Senate Poised to Pass Rival Budgets

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida House and Senate are poised to pass rival versions of a new state budget.

The two chambers in the Legislature are expected to vote Thursday on their spending plans. The House proposed budget is nearly $80 billion, while the Senate budget is nearly $81 billion.

Republicans who control the House and Senate have about a month to negotiate a final budget. The budget will cover state spending from July 2016 to June 2017.

Some of the big sticking points between the House and Senate include tax cuts, as well as spending on business incentives.

The Senate is backing a $250 million fund that Gov. Rick Scott wants to lure new businesses to the state. The House is pushing a tax cut package that would cut taxes by nearly $1 billion over a two-and-a-half year period.