John Legg Named Speaker Pro Tempore

On Friday, incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, tapped Rep. John Legg, R-Port Richey, as speaker pro tempore of the Florida House.

Legg, who represents parts of Pasco County, was first elected to the House in 2004 and served as deputy majority whip. Part of Leggs task, besides wielding the gavel when Cannon is off the floor, will be communications issues.

No legislative chamber in the country provides more raw information than the Florida House, and yet the legislative process remains muddy, and substantive information remains difficult to understand, said Cannon. As an officer of the House and the head of the Houses Office of Public Information, the speaker pro tempore for 2010-12 will be charged with bridging that information divide, not only for the members but also for the public.

I can think of no member who can better rise to that challenge than Representative John Legg, added Cannon. In his home district, Representative Legg is known for his accessibility and his diligent service to his constituents.Among his colleagues in the House, he is known for his honesty, intelligence, seriousness of purpose, and humility. Representative Legg embodies the ideal that holding public office is about: public service not public honors.

I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as speaker pro tempore of the Florida House, said Legg. I understand that members of the public are often frustrated by the lack of clarity within the legislative process, and I am looking forward to heading up the Office of Public Information as we work to improve our communication with the various constituencies the Florida House serves.