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For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 1, 2021

Contact: Sarah Bascom / Kristen Grissom

 

AIF Releases 2021 Voting Records Report &
Announces Champions for Business Award Recipients

Tallahassee, Fla. - The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released its 2021 Voting Records report and announced its 2021 Champions for Business award recipients.

AIF’s Voting Records report is a legislative scorecard for the business community that tabulates the voting conduct of each member of the Florida Legislature during the legislative session. Scores are based on committee, amendment and floor votes cast on bills that impact businesses in Florida. For the 2021 Legislative Session, AIF’s Voting Records indicate a decrease from last year in both the Florida Senate and Florida House, with the Senate voting in favor of the business community 81 percent of the time and the House voting favorably 76 percent of the time.

“Following each legislative session for the last 46 years, AIF has closely examined the votes cast by all 160 lawmakers on the top issues affecting Florida’s business community. The resulting Voting Records report has served as a valuable, sought-after resource for businesses across the state who want to be better informed about where their local elected officials stand on the issues that are important to them and which lawmakers are truly fighting for their interests in the Capitol,” said AIF President and CEO Tom Feeney. “AIF is proud to continue to serve as an advocate for Florida’s businesses – keeping them informed of what’s happening in Tallahassee, working on their behalf to support policies that will help our state continue to thrive and fighting back against those that will negatively impact Florida’s job creators and economy.”

“This legislative session was unique. AIF and its members commend the Legislature for passing meaningful policies to support Florida’s business community, like COVID liability protections and an online sales tax to offset the proposed unemployment tax. However, concerning measures, such as the far-reaching data privacy bill, received broad support from lawmakers as well, despite all the concerns that were raised regarding the detrimental impact it would have had on businesses, especially as they work to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, no lawmakers received a perfect 100% score this year,” said AIF Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs Brewster Bevis.

AIF’s 2021 Voting Records report is available in full here. The Voting Records Database, which includes over 200,000 votes, more than 2,000 bills, and over 800 legislators from the last 40 plus years, is available at AIF.com/VotingRecords.

Each year along with its Voting Records report, AIF also names its Champions for Business, recognizing the elected oals who provided strong leadership in advancing key legislation for the success of Florida’s business community.

“AIF’s Champions for Business are our strongest allies and the greatest advocates for free-enterprise and prosperity,” added Feeney. “We are proud to honor these elected officials with this award and recognize the active role they took this session in supporting Florida’s business community.”

“Throughout the 2021 session, AIF’s Champions for Business were the leaders our team turned to when we needed someone we could depend on,” added Bevis. “We greatly appreciate all their efforts on behalf of the business community, whether it was leading the charge to pass policies to support Florida’s job creators or playing a key role in changing or stopping measures that would have a negative impact on businesses and their employees.”

For the 2021 Legislative Session, AIF awards the following elected officials with the Champions for Business distinction:

  • Governor Ron DeSantis is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Governor DeSantis for keeping the state safely “open for business” during the pandemic and being a champion for COVID liability protection for Florida’s business community. Without the Governor’s leadership, Florida would not be leading the way in economic recovery. AIF also commends Governor DeSantis for vetoing legislation to repeal Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system and protecting consumers from increased costs that could have negatively impacted the recovery of Floridians and businesses.
  • Speaker Chris Sprowls is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Speaker Sprowls for recognizing the importance of civil liability protections as well as implementing the online sales tax to offset the proposed unemployment tax. With this legislation, Florida businesses can predict their COVID-19-related litigation risks, remain viable, and continue to contribute to the state's economic recovery and well-being.
  • President Wilton Simpson is receiving his second AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds President Simpson for recognizing the importance of civil liability protections as well as implementing the online sales tax to offset the proposed unemployment tax. With this legislation, Florida businesses can predict their COVID-19-related litigation risks, remain viable, and continue to contribute to the state's economic recovery and well-being.
  • Senator Jeff Brandes is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Senator Brandes for his efforts in sponsoring legislation to provide civil immunity from COVID-19 liability for businesses that acted in good faith during the coronavirus pandemic. With this legislation, Florida businesses can predict their COVID-19-related litigation risks, remain viable, and continue to contribute to the state's economic recovery and well-being.
  • Senator Kathleen Passidomo is receiving her third AIF Champions for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida commends Senator Passidomo for her diligent efforts in working with AIF on the proposed data privacy legislation and allowing the business community to provide input and feedback. AIF thanks Senator Passidomo for her unwavering commitment to the Florida business community.
  • Senator Jason Brodeur is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Senator Brodeur on his efforts to provide legal protections for Florida’s farmers who provide necessary resources and food to the state. Farmers have a right to farm, and thanks to Senator Brodeur’s leadership, the Florida Right to Farm Act will continue to protect these individuals from bad faith litigation and frivolous lawsuits.
  • Senator Ben Albritton is receiving his third AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Senator Albritton for sponsoring permit tolling legislation that prevents Florida businesses from being penalized on permitted time due to a state of emergency that is out of their control. Thanks to Senator Albritton’s efforts, consumptive use permits and local government development agreements were added to the emergency tolling statute which allows economic recovery to begin as soon as possible following a state of emergency.
  • Representative Lawrence McClure is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Representative McClure for his efforts in sponsoring legislation to provide civil immunity from COVID-19 liability for businesses that acted in good faith during the coronavirus pandemic. With this legislation, Florida businesses can predict their COVID-19-related litigation risks, remain viable, and continue to contribute to the state's economic recovery and well-being.
  • Representative Colleen Burton is receiving her first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Representative Burton for her efforts in crafting and shepherding COVID liability legislation to protect health care providers from frivolous lawsuits. Thanks to Representative Burton’s tireless efforts, COVID liability health care protections were included in the overall COVID liability legislation. Florida’s health care providers can now return to providing high quality care on the frontlines without fear of malicious litigation.
  • Representative Jayer Williamson is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Representative Williamson on his efforts to provide legal protections for Florida’s farmers who provide necessary resources and food to the state. Farmers have a right to farm, and thanks to Representative Williamson’s leadership, the Florida Right to Farm Act will continue to protect these individuals from bad faith litigation and frivolous lawsuits.
  • Representative Michael Grant is receiving his first AIF Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Representative Grant for sponsoring permit tolling legislation that prevents Florida businesses from being penalized on permitted time due to a state of emergency that is out of their control. Thanks to Representative Grant’s efforts, consumptive use permits and local government development agreements were added to the emergency tolling statute which allows economic recovery to begin as soon as possible following a state of emergency.

Known as “The Voice of Florida Business” in the Sunshine State, Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) has represented the principles of prosperity and free enterprise before the three branches of state government since 1920. A voluntary association of diversified businesses, AIF was created to foster an economic climate in Florida conducive to the growth, development, and welfare of industry and business and the people of the state.

For more information on AIF, please visit AIF.com and follow @VoiceofFLBiz.

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