Legislative budget leaders this week freed up $850 million to cover expenses from the 2024 hurricane season that the state hopes will be almost fully reimbursed by the federal government.

State Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Florida is in a phase of the 2024 disaster declarations for hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton where the state “must first pay their expenses in order to get reimbursed.”

As the Trump administration continues to look at potential changes in disaster response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, concerns have been raised about how much assistance states can expect.

Guthrie, who is part of the White House’s FEMA Review Council, said he expects aid will still be available, but states might need to have more “skin in the game.”

“The president

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