After the proposal died in the House during the 2025 session, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Monday the Senate will take up his “rural renaissance” plan during the first week of the 2026 legislative session. Albritton, who has made the issue a priority of his time as Senate president, told reporters he is “hopeful” the plan will get final approval during the session that starts Jan. 13.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve the bill Wednesday, teeing it up to go to the full Senate. The bill (SB 250), sponsored by Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, is aimed at boosting such things as health care, education, transportation and economic development in rural areas. For example, the bill would provide $25 million for a new program aimed at helping physicians, physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses set up practices in rural communities, according to a Senate summary of the bill. As another health-care example, the bill would increase Medicaid reimbursement payments for what are known as “critical access” hospitals in rural areas.
On other topics, the bill would create a program to provide student-loan payment assistance for educators in rural areas; increase money to help rural counties resurface and rebuild roads; and create an Office of Rural Prosperity at the Florida Department of Commerce, according to the summary.
The Senate passed a rural-renaissance measure during the 2025 session. But the package got broken up in the House and did not pass.
Albritton Plans Quick Vote on ‘Rural Renaissance’ added by The News Service of Florida on
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You are so tiresome. Your TDS is showing.
“Government should spend money on rural areas because it spends money on urban areas. Fairness and equity. That’s really about it.”
So there is an ‘Urban Renaissance ‘ bill coming up soon? Good to know! Should we do it on a per capita basis?
But the question I was asking was, if all our societies problems are driving by leftist elites and their poor decisions, *why do the rural areas need a renaissance bill at all*? Why has all of their common sense, right wing politicians and decisions brought them to a place where the need a renaissance bill? I thought right wingers were great at everything?
I mean, according to Trump drug prices are down 500% or more. According to Trump, affordability is a ‘democrat hoax’. Maybe someone should tell Albritton that affordability is a hoax, cause given that truth, why spend money to help communities, either rural or urban?
Government should spend money on rural areas because it spends money on urban areas. Fairness and equity. That’s really about it.
Keep up putting hyperbolic bullsh*t. Nobody takes you seriously.
@Earnest P Worrel –
“DSP: “I’m confused.”
No shit”
Well then, help me out. I keep hearing that urban areas are hellscapes. (?) I keep hearing that it’s because they are ‘run by Democrats’. (right?) I keep hearing that rural areas are great because they aren’t run by liberals.
If that’s all true, why do rural areas need a renaissance via tax handouts? Why aren’t they bootstrapping themselves?
You’re clearly very clever, so can you explain why we should spend money on rural areas?
@ DSP – As of today, there are 87,572 Democrats and 54,404 Republicans. The funny part is, there are now 41,450 Independents I believe most of those Independents are just Democrats not wanting to let others know they are really Democrats which still makes Tallahassee a Deep Blue Liberal City. Letting the City take over the County is a VERY BAD IDEA.
DSP: “I’m confused.”
No shit.
I’m confused. All I ever hear is how awful big cities are because they’re all run by liberals, they are crime infested and full of transvestites and drag shows and how everyone is moving out of them. (?) Why would these heavenly rural areas need any help from elite libtards and the tax revenues from their economic output? How come everyone fleeing urban Democrat run hellscapes hasn’t brought enough funds with them to revive the rural areas all on their own? Make it make sense.
In reality based observations, Trumps attempts to cut fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid has rural hospitals and clinics closing all over the country.