Florida lawmakers end yearly session

Florida legislators closed their yearly session by passing a penny-pinching budget and making health insurance plans for autistic children, officials said.

Despite the tight budget, lawmakers also managed to make health insurance plans for working citizens living in poverty and small businesses, The Miami Herald reported.

''Some great things happened today. Historic things happened today,'' Gov. Charlie Crist said of the Friday session.

With an all-time high $4 billion in budget cutbacks and a stalling economy looming this year, lawmakers reportedly had to leave behind some high-priority proposals, including a sales-tax holiday and a central Florida rail line.

It is reported that public education saw the most severe cutbacks -- $2.3 billion -- while increased funds were given to private schools in the form of vouchers.

''There are corpses strewn about the Capitol. This year there is no money to grease the wheels," Fort Lauderdale Rep. Jack Seiler said.

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