Sunshine Sentinel

Florida Chamber of Commerce unveiled its 2022 Florida Chamber Legislative Report Card, showcasing grades earned by all 160 legislators in the Florida House and Senate based on their votes during the 2022 Legislative Session and Special Session D.

“Working together as a unified business community is how we will keep Florida’s economy growing and competitive,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “As Florida continues to pace the nation’s economic recovery out of the pandemic, Florida’s business climate must remain a priority if we are going to continue on the path to grow private sector jobs, diversify our economy, and create additional economic opportunities for all Floridians.”

The Florida Chamber’s 2022 Legislative Report Card is an annual opportunity to recognize members of the Florida Legislature who placed making Florida more competitive through non-partisan private-sector job creation above special interests and attempts to protect the status quo.  The Report Card also lets Florida families, small businesses, taxpayers and voters know who voted in favor of private sector job creation and a stronger, more diversified economy.

After tabulating more than 3,100 votes cast during the 2022 Legislative Session and Special Session D, the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card shows:

• Average GPA for both legislative chambers was 68 percent
• Average Senate GPA was 78 percent
• Average House GPA was 65 percent
• Legislators earned 32 A’s, 48 B’s, 21 C’s, 9 D’s and 50 F’s

Lawmakers who earned high grades this legislative session focused on important competitiveness issues such as:

• Healthcare COVID-19 Liability Protections: Extending the commonsense COVID-19 liability protections expiring for health care facilities to continue to protect our healthcare heroes from frivolous litigation through June 2023.
• Significant Long-Term Infrastructure Funding:  Investment in the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of current and future Floridians with another $10B+ for the FDOT’s five-year workplan, approximately $362M for attainable workforce housing, and record funding for water quality, resiliency, and environmental restoration efforts.
• Improving Education Outcomes via Student Assessments Overhaul: Replacing the end of the year high-stakes Florida Statewide Assessment with a computer-based state standards-aligned progress monitoring testing system to better support student growth and improve accountability to teachers and parents throughout the school year.
• Local Business Protection Act: Protecting local businesses from burdensome and overreaching local government regulations by allowing local businesses to recoup damages if a local regulation results in a significant loss of business profitability.
• Property Insurance Reform: Taking steps to stabilize Florida’s property insurance crisis and a market that has been described as “on life support” through overdue lawsuit abuse reform that discourages litigation by bad actors and billboard trial lawyers.
• Florida Tourism Marketing: Reauthorizing VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism marketing arm, through October 1, 2028, to provide certainty and allow VISIT FLORIDA to long-term plan and hire and retain top talent.

TRANSPARENT GRADING PROCESS:

• The Florida Chamber’s legislative grading process is both transparent and accountable.
• The Florida Business Agenda (FBA) was announced in concert with the opening of the 2022 Legislative Session.
• The Florida Business Agenda, outlined in the Chamber’s annual Where We Stand publication was delivered to each member of the Florida Legislature in advance of voting.
• Florida Chamber leadership raised awareness to the legislative agenda through meetings with numerous media, legislators and staff in advance of session, during the interim committee weeks, over the nine-week legislative session and subsequent special sessions.
• Most importantly, prior to each vote graded on the Report Card, a “Your Vote Matters” letter outlining the pro-business position and the Florida Chamber’s intent to score the vote was transmitted to voting members of the legislature.

To see the grades received by each of Florida’s 160 Legislators following the 2022 Legislative Session, visit https://reportcard.flchamber.com/.

In addition, the Florida Chamber awarded 12 Legislators the 2022 Distinguished Advocate Award. The Florida Chamber’s Distinguished Advocate Award recognizes lawmakers who ensured consideration of the business community’s legislative priorities and fought tirelessly for the passage of a Chamber-backed policy or a priority piece of pro-jobs legislation.

Original source can be found here.