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ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida’s multibillion-dollar Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund is set to expire at midnight Monday, setting up a high-stakes clash between the House and Senate over how the money can be spent.
At the center of the dispute is whether Gov. Ron DeSantis should face new limits on using the fund for immigration enforcement and other non-natural disaster emergencies.
What we know:
Since its creation in 2022, lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund. Originally designed to respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters, the fund has also been used for immigration enforcement and evacuations of Floridians from international conflict zones.
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According to a 2026 annual report from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the state spent more than $573 million on immigration enforcement between 2023 and 2025. That included the establishment of two state-run immigration detention facilities after DeSantis issued an emergency declaration on immigration in January 2023.
The House and Senate are advancing competing proposals to extend the life of the fund. The House would continue it through July 1, 2030, while the Senate’s version would extend it until Dec. 31, 2027.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether lawmakers will reach a deal before the fund expires. The House bill is not scheduled for a committee hearing until Monday, and formal budget negotiations between the chambers are not expected before the midnight deadline.
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Uncertainty also surrounds federal reimbursements. While the federal government has approved up to $608 million tied to immigration-related spending, the money has not yet reached state coffers. The state expects to recover only about half of the $573 million it has spent, according to the emergency management report.
The backstory:
The latest dispute adds to a year of tension between DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican who has sparred with the governor over tax cuts and condominium safety regulations.
DeSantis’ 2023 emergency declaration on immigration allowed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to use the fund for immigration-related operations, including detention facilities and transportation assets. Between 2023 and 2025, the state spent more than $29 million on goods such as helicopter engines, cargo vans and trailers tied to those efforts.
What they're saying:
House leaders argue the fund should return to its original purpose.
The House proposal would bar the governor from using the fund for illegal immigration enforcement and prohibit spending on aircraft, boats or motor vehicles. It would also require a detailed accounting of inventory and assets purchased for natural emergencies, separated by event and agency.
Under the House plan, any federal reimbursements would flow into the state’s main revenue fund rather than back into the emergency account.
The Senate, however, passed its version without adding new restrictions on how the governor may use the money, signaling support for broader executive flexibility during declared emergencies.
Timeline:
Unless lawmakers act, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund will expire at midnight Monday. The House and Senate must reconcile their competing bills as part of broader budget negotiations in the final stretch of the legislative session.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the News Service of Florida.