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For Immediate Release
Monday, July 7, 2025

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

 

AIF Releases 2025 Voting Records Report & Announces Champions for Business Award Recipients

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released its 2025 Voting Records and announced its 2025 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 the regular 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 3,856 votes cast by legislators on 47 bills, this publication embodies the most exhaustive and complete record of the Legislature’s collective approach to the concerns of Florida’s employers.

“For more than 50 years, AIF has produced its Voting Records report to ensure Florida’s employers know exactly where each legislator stands on the issues they had the opportunity to vote on that would impact the business community,” said AIF President and CEO Brewster Bevis. “This provides one important metric that can help illustrate how strongly and consistently a legislator supports Florida businesses, but we recognize that their votes are just one of the ways they can support job creators. The non-vote actions that legislators take can be just as crucial to either advancing a priority of the business community or, sometimes even more importantly, stopping one that would be detrimental to it.”

AIF Vice President of Governmental Affairs Adam Basford added, “While this legislative session included significant successes for Florida’s business community, namely the elimination of the state’s business rent tax, we also saw several pieces of damaging legislation make progress that would have rolled back the historic tort reforms passed just a few years ago and recreated an extremely litigious environment. This highlights the importance of AIF’s Voting Records, which provides business owners throughout the state with valuable insights into where their legislators stood on these priority issues. We look forward to continuing to educate and work with lawmakers on the policies needed to help further improve the business climate in our state and ensure our economy continues to thrive.”

AIF’s 2025 Voting Records report is available in full here . The Voting Records Database, which includes 245,143 votes, 2,552 bills, and 1,012 legislators from the last 47 years, is available at AIF.com/VotingRecords.

Along with its Voting Records report, AIF has also named its Champions for Business every year since 2003, which recognizes the elected officials who provided strong leadership in advancing key legislation and stood up to protect the interests of Florida’s business community.

“AIF’s Champions for Business are those elected officials who have gone above and beyond to fight for Florida’s job creators,” said Bevis. “They not only consistently vote in support of the business community, they take action – both behind the scenes and publicly – to advance policies that promote free enterprise and economic prosperity and to stop legislation that would be harmful to Florida’s business climate. Our Champions for Business are our most powerful advocates in the Florida Legislature, and we are proud to support them and recognize them with this distinction.”

For the 2025 Legislative Session, AIF awarded the following elected leaders with the Champions for Business distinction:

  • Governor Ron DeSantis - Governor Ron DeSantis is receiving his second Champion for Business Award. Governor DeSantis did not mince words when he realized that some policies directly contradicted the hard work of the 2022 and 2023 tort reforms and could negatively impact businesses and consumers in Florida. When HB 6017 – Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death by Representative Dana Trabulsy (R-Fort Pierce) was passed without caps on noneconomic damages, the governor used his veto power to ensure that Florida stayed the course to fighting frivolous litigation. The governor actively opposed the harmful policies while making sure principled, pro-business policy was passed and signed into law. AIF thanks Governor DeSantis for his commitment to Florida and his unwavering vision to move the state forward.
  • Senate President Ben Albritton - Senate President Ben Albritton is receiving his fifth Champion for Business Award. Senator Albritton was able to guide the Senate to pass insightful legislation, which will help Floridians and businesses alike for years to come. AIF thanks Senate President Albritton for his bold leadership through a difficult session, for defending against attacks on Florida’s business community and for keeping pace with Florida’s need for growth in all sectors.
  • Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd - Senator Jim Boyd is receiving his sixth Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida appreciates Senator Boyd’s commitment to the business community and employees of the state. He demonstrated strong leadership and collaboration throughout the legislative session by actively supporting his colleagues in advancing pro-business policies in the Senate. At the same time, he remained firm and unwavering in his stance against efforts by the House to roll back critical tort reform measures, playing a key role in preserving the integrity of reforms that protect Florida’s business climate from excessive litigation. AIF thanks Senator Boyd for his continued support in the Florida Senate and looks forward to supporting him through his leadership roles.
  • Senator Gayle Harrell - Senator Gayle Harrell is receiving her first Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida thanks Senator Harrell for her valuable contributions and medical insight to SB 734 by Senator Yarborough – Actions for the Recovery of Damages for Wrongful Death. Senator Harrell displayed unwavering resolve and principled leadership throughout the legislative session, standing firm amid intense debate and personal attacks to remain a thoughtful and reasoned voice within the Senate Chambers. Despite the political pressures and the challenges posed by emotionally charged discussions, she made the difficult but courageous decision to vote against legislation that lacked essential caps. AIF thanks Senator Harrell for her steadfast commitment to preserving the stability and sustainability of Florida’s healthcare system.
  • Senator Stan McClain - Senator Stan McClain is receiving his first Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Senator McClain’s efforts in running seven different AIF-priority bills. He demonstrated exceptional leadership and policy expertise during the 2025 Legislative Session by successfully championing a suite of pro-business legislation across several complex and critically important policy areas, including utilities regulation, property and management associations, and environmental policy. Drawing from his broad and well-established knowledge, Senator McClain navigated the intricacies of each issue, ensuring that the legislation he supported not only ensured economic growth but also promoted regulatory clarity and long-term sustainability. AIF thanks Senator McClain for his outstanding dedication and thoughtful work this session.
  • Senator Kathleen Passidomo - Senator Kathleen Passidomo is receiving her seventh Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida applauds Senator Passidomo for her steadfast commitment to Florida’s businesses and economy by showing integrity and grace in her discussions around tort issues. Additionally, she championed pro-business policies and reforms in the Senate throughout her tenure. AIF thanks Senator Passidomo for her continued work in the Florida Senate.
  • Representative Mike Caruso - Representative Mike Caruso is receiving his first Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida commends Representative Caruso for his steadfast and vocal dedication to ensuring the long-term stability of Florida’s insurance markets. Rather than yielding to the pressure of reversing course in the wake of the recently enacted sweeping reforms, Representative Caruso has demonstrated principled leadership by advocating for consistency and clarity in policy implementation. AIF thanks Representative Caruso for his unwavering support for all Floridians.
  • Representative Tom Fabricio - Representative Tom Fabricio is receiving his second Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida recognizes Representative Fabricio for his commitment to the 2022 and 2023 tort reforms. As the sponsor of one of the most transformative and landmark pieces of legislation aimed at removing Florida from the ranks of so-called “judicial hellholes,” he played a pivotal role in advancing meaningful legal reform across the state. However, in the face of mounting political pressure and efforts to reverse these hard-fought reforms, Representative Fabricio’s policies came under significant threat. Despite these challenges, he remained resolute and unwavering in his commitment to the integrity of the reforms he helped champion. AIF thanks Representative Fabricio for his continued work on tort issues in Florida.
  • Representative Toby Overdorf - Representative Toby Overdorf is receiving his second Champion for Business Award. Associated Industries of Florida proudly recognizes Representative Overdorf for his continued commitment to advancing policies that support Florida’s business community, particularly through his sponsorship of HB 579 relating to Land Use and Development, during the 2025 Legislative Session. Representative Overdorf has long been a respected voice on environmental and regulatory issues, and he brought his considerable experience in crafting this legislation. HB 579 represents a thoughtful and much-needed effort to streamline regulatory processes that have increasingly hindered responsible development and business growth across the state. AIF thanks Representative Overdorf for his tireless efforts to streamline the permitting process for businesses and residents of Florida.

Known as “The Voice of Florida Business” in the Sunshine State, 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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