Florida Senate Convenes 2011 Regular Legislative Session

The Florida Senate is open for business.

The 2011 regular legislative session got underway Tuesday, with the state Senate scheduled to vote on a slate of substantive bills during a busy first week.

Senators will be voting later Tuesday on the "Health Care Freedom Act," a measure backed by Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, that would put a constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot that would allow Floridians to opt out of the year-old federal health care law. Other votes on the "smart cap" bill, merit pay for teachers and a crashworthiness tort reform bill will come later in the week.

In his opening speech, Haridopolos stressed his agenda of reforming Medicaid and the state pension system, and pledged not to raise taxes, but also heaped skepticism on Gov. Rick Scott's plan to cut taxes in the face of a $3.6 billion budget deficit.

"We must, of course, continue to hold the line against new taxes however great the strain.I doubt any of you think that now is the time to increase the tax burden of Floridians. I know most of us believe that the appropriate frequency of tax increases roughly coincides with appearances of Haleys comet. And I agree with you. And taxes have no more ruthless enemy than me. Whether we can actually reduce taxes at the present time, in a responsible way, remains to be seen. If anyone can show me how we can realistically feed the increasing multitude with even fewer fish and less bread than we have now, then I will gladly follow him," Haridopolos said.

But Haridopolos also pledged support for Scott's move to halt regulations that hamper the ability of businesses to grow and thrive.

"Another area where restraint can go a long way in aiding recovery is what I think of as responsible regulation. I compliment Governor Scott for his bold initiatives in this area.He can count on my unstinting support for vetting our regulations past and future with new standards based on real need and common sense. When it comes to regulation, government should require no more of its people than their actual health, safety and welfare demands. More than that is meddling, and arrogance to boot," he said.

Overall, Haridopolos' speech to open the Senate for 2011 was part history lesson, part Biblical lesson and part pep talk for his fellow senators, as he invoked the words of Winston Churchill, the Old and New Testaments, and Shakespeare.

"So, on this opening day I close by saying to you: 'Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more,'" Haridopolos said to close out his speech, imploring his fellow senators to get to work.

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