The Florida Chamber of Commerce has named Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, the 2018 Most Valuable Legislator (MVL), for her commitment to securing Florida’s future. The announcement and presentation of the MVL was made during the Florida Chamber’s Board of Directors Thursday morning meeting taking place in Palm Bay.
The Florida Chamber’s Most Valuable Legislator award is the business community’s premier legislative award honoring a single lawmaker for his or her outstanding legislative leadership and willingness to take a stand for free enterprise.
“Early during the 2018 legislative process, the Florida Chamber encouraged lawmakers to lower the cost of living, lower the cost of doing business and move Florida forward by putting long-solutions ahead of short-term politics,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Chamber. “The Florida Chamber applauds Senator Kathleen Passidomo for her hard work and leadership on behalf of Florida’s families and businesses.”
A small-business woman, Sen. Passidomo has long been a fearless and effective partner in the Florida Chamber’s fight for free enterprise, says the Chamber in its press statement. As the torch bearer of multiple Florida Chamber-backed priorities this session, she attracted bipartisan support for pro-jobs legislation, took well-funded special interests head-on for Florida’s future job creators, and successfully sought to keep Florida’s dismal, bottom-five legal climate from getting worse. Florida needs more public servants who wake up every day thinking about how to make Florida more competitive—regardless of the opponent or political consequences.
“I am truly humbled to be recognized by the Florida Chamber of Commerce as their 2018 Most Valuable Legislator,” said Passidomo in accepting the award. “It is an incredible honor to receive this prestigious award. Legislative change doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes hard work, perseverance and collaborative effort. Working together with the Florida Chamber team, we have been able to advance policies that will have a lasting positive effect on Florida’s families and our business community.”
Previous recipients of the Florida Chamber’s Most Valuable Legislator award include: House Speaker Steve Crisafulli (2016), House Speaker Will Weatherford (2014), Rep. Larry Metz (2013), House Speaker Dean Cannon (2012), Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff (2011), Sen. John Thrasher (2010), Sen. Garrett Richter (2009), Rep. Dennis Ross (2008), Rep. Stan Mayfield (2007), Rep. Don Brown (2006) and House Speaker Allan Bense (2005).
Also Thursday morning, the Florida Chamber released its annual publication How They Voted -- which provides the grades for all 155 legislators so business leaders can see who voted for or against job creation and economic growth.
