"Florida Legislators Reach Deal on Conservation Money"

"TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida legislators finally reached a deal late Sunday on how much money should be spent conserving land, but the final amount drew protests from conservation groups who argued lawmakers were ignoring the will of voters.

Lawmakers have until the end of the month to pass a new state budget or parts of state government will be shut down. The Florida Legislature's special session is scheduled to end on June 20.

House and Senate budget negotiators have been working over the weekend at the state Capitol on some of the remaining contentious items, including money for conservation.

Voters last fall overwhelmingly approved Amendment 1, which changed the state constitution to earmark hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation programs. Backers of the amendment had hoped its passage would spur legislators to replenish the state's Florida Forever program which had its funding cut during the recession.

But the deal announced Sunday evening calls for just $55 million on land acquisition, including $17.4 million for Florida Forever."

Gary Fineout reports for the Associated Press June 14, 2015.