Florida will receive $17 billion from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law by President Biden last week. On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled the spending priorities he sent in a letter to the state’s top lawmakers.

DeSantis said one of his top priorities is the “support and celebration of pandemic first responders.” To achieve that, he wants to give a one-time $1,000 direct payment – totaling $208.4 million – to people in the following professions:

• Sworn law enforcement officers
• Firefighters
• Paramedics
• Emergency medical technicians

DeSantis also wants the state to invest more than $129 million in a modernized reemployment assistance system, after many struggling Floridians faced serious obstacles to receiving benefits.

To bolster Florida’s overall economy, DeSantis recommends that lawmakers direct $500 million for “development and recovery initiatives” for the state’s tourism industry and “critical job sectors.”

That includes:

• $258 million+ in relief for Florida’s seaports
• $150 million for Florida’s Job Growth Grant Fund
• $50 million for Visit Florida
• $50 million for the Economic Development Transportation Fund

DeSantis also wants $125 million for Employ Florida and $60 million for Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grants.

He's requesting that the state spends $72 million to modernize its behavioral health system and $10 million on Alzheimer’s disease research.

You can read the governor's letter to lawmakers here: