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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Contact
Sarah Bascom, sarah@bascomllc.com
Kristen Grissom, kgrissom@bascomllc.com

 

AIF Releases 2024 Voting Records Report &
Announces Champions for Business Award Recipients

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released its 2024 Voting Records and announced its 2024 Champions for Business award recipients. 

AIF’s Voting Records is the definitive legislative scorecard for the business community that tabulates the voting conduct of each member of the Florida Legislature during Florida’s 60-day legislative session. Scores are based on committee, amendment and floor votes cast on bills and amendments that were advocated, promoted or opposed by AIF, with every bill and vote carrying equal weight. By reporting on the 2,594 votes cast by legislators on 36 bills, this publication embodies the most exhaustive and complete record of the Legislature’s collective approach to the concerns of Florida’s employers.

“Fifty years ago, AIF was the first business group to provide a comprehensive report of the voting records of Florida legislators for employers in our state,” said AIF President and CEO Brewster Bevis. “Each year since, we have continued to compile this Voting Records report to provide the business community with a metric by which to determine if a legislator supports businesses with the power of their vote. And while these vote records are incredibly important, they only tell part of the story. As we work closely with legislators throughout each session, we recognize there are equally important non-vote related actions that some take to support job creators that can be instrumental in helping get a priority issue addressed.”

AIF Vice President of Governmental Affairs Adam Basford added, “The 2024 Legislative Session included several important victories for Florida’s business community, including liability protection in the cybersecurity realm, the prevention of local mandates for heat and wage ordinances, and increased penalties for those who purposely damage Florida’s critical infrastructure. However, there were other key issues impacting Florida businesses that did not get the attention from the Legislature we felt was needed, such as litigation financing and caps on medical malpractice suits. As we continue to work with lawmakers to improve the business climate in our state, AIF’s Voting Records report is an important tool that provides valuable insights into where they stood on these priority issues.”

AIF’s 2024 Voting Records report is available in full here . The Voting Records Database, which includes 241,266 votes, 2,505 bills, and over 900 legislators from the last 50 years, is available at AIF.com/VotingRecords.

Along with its Voting Records report, AIF also names its Champions for Business every year since 2003, which recognizes the elected officials who provided strong leadership in advancing key legislation and have taken risks for their beliefs in the success of Florida’s business community.

“AIF’s Champions for Business are more than just a reliable vote in support of the business community – they take an active role, whether behind the scenes or more publicly, in advancing policies that improve Florida’s business climate and ensure job creators in our state can continue to thrive,” said Bevis. “These lawmakers share our principles of free enterprise and economic prosperity and have proven themselves to be powerful advocates for Florida businesses. We are proud to call them our champions and are grateful to have them serving in the Florida Legislature.”

For the 2024 Legislative Session, AIF awarded the following elected leaders with the Champions for Business distinction:

  • Senate President Kathleen Passidomo - President Passidomo is receiving her sixth Champion for Business Award for her steadfast efforts to rework Florida’s access to healthcare by creating new avenues to obtain more critically needed healthcare professionals in her Live Healthy agenda this year. Additionally, President Passidomo championed pro-business policies and reforms in the Senate throughout her tenure. AIF thanks Senate President Passidomo for her exceptional leadership as Senate President.
  • Senator Danny Burgess - Senator Burgess is receiving his second Champion for Business Award for his role overseeing SB 738, a bill relating to Environment Management that would have clarified language for the redevelopment of contaminated lands and provided a barrier against frivolous litigation for those abiding by guidelines issued by the state. AIF thanks Senator Burgess for his efforts to stabilize the current litigation climate that threatens future development and keeps Florida’s natural resources in peril.
  • Senator Nick DiCeglie - Senator DiCeglie is receiving his first Champion for Business Award for his sponsorship of SB 658, a bill relating to Cybersecurity Incident Liability that will establish a clear regulatory framework for businesses to follow to better protect themselves and their customers from cyberattacks. The bill provides a barrier from civil liability if a business follows the guidelines established in this bill. AIF thanks Senator DiCeglie for providing protections for Florida businesses who do everything in their power to shield data from cyberattacks.
  • Senator Jay Trumbull - Senator Trumbull is receiving his second Champion for Business Award for his sponsorship of SB 1492, a bill relating to Employment Regulations that will preempt local governments from enacting heat ordinances that supersede current guidelines already set in place by OSHA. The bill also removes the ability of local governments to enact minimum wage requirements. AIF thanks Senator Trumbull for his tireless work to ensure this issue was considered and resolved during the 2024 Legislative Session.
  • Senator Clay Yarborough - Senator Yarborough is receiving his first Champion for Business Award for his sponsorship of SB 340, a bill relating to Offenses Involving Critical Infrastructure. The bill provides for increased penalties for individuals who improperly tamper with anything defined as critical infrastructure. Senator Yarborough also sponsored two bills, that although did not ultimately pass, were of significant importance to the business community. A section of SB 814, a bill relating to Real Property Ownership, would have clarified restrictions surrounding foreign investment for development projects throughout Florida, further increasing opportunities for businesses to invest in our State. He also sponsored SB 248 that would have imposed a cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, to attempt to address Florida’s high medical malpractice premiums as well as physician recruitment and retention. AIF thanks Senator Yarborough for championing these important bills.
  • Representative Jennifer Canady - Representative Jennifer Canady is receiving her first Champion for Business Award for her hard work to pass HB 275, a bill relating to Offenses Involving Critical Infrastructure. This legislation will provide for increased penalties for criminal activities around facilities designated as critical infrastructure. AIF thanks Representative Canady for making Florida safer for businesses to operate by deterring criminal activity and increasing penalties for those who knowingly break the law and seek to cause harm.
  • Representative Tiffany Esposito - Representative Esposito is receiving her first Champion for Business Award for her tireless work to ensure the passage of the heat ordinance and local wage preemption bill, HB 433. AIF thanks Representative Esposito for her strong support of Florida businesses who were at risk of increased regulation from local governments that supersede rules already in place at the federal level.
  • Representative Mike Giallombardo - Representative Giallombardo is receiving his first Champion for Business Award for using his extensive knowledge and background working in the IT space to craft HB 473, a bill relating to Cybersecurity Incident Liability. This bill provides for new guidelines for businesses who are susceptible to cyberattacks to follow to better protect their customers and themselves. If these guidelines are met, the business is shielded from frivolous litigation, which has been an ongoing issue in Florida. AIF thanks Representative Giallombardo for standing by Florida businesses who could be penalized for the criminal actions of others.
  • Representative Toby Overdorf - Representative Overdorf is receiving his first Champion for Business Award for his support for Florida businesses as he was the sponsor and prime co-sponsor of two AIF-priority bills in the 2024 legislative session. He used his lengthy background working on environmental issues to sponsor HB 789, a bill relating to Environmental Management that would have identified those who abide by the guidelines issued under a DEP permit to clean up or restore remediated lands and instituted civil protections. Additionally, Representative Overdorf co-sponsored HB 1179, a bill that would have significantly pushed back against the increased threat of litigation financiers on Florida businesses. AIF thanks Representative Overdorf for his tireless efforts to expand civil liability protections and make Florida more affordable for businesses to operate.

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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