As you know, last year we passed a fiscally responsible budget that did not raise taxes and protected Floridas bond rating. And, it wasnt easy.
We made hard choices, and I hope perhaps one day the federal government will do the same.
We passed and Gov. Scott signed into law the most comprehensive overhaul of the Medicaid system in Floridas history.
We decided that to help Floridas economy recover, we had to change the way government does business with business.
We passed a remarkably aggressive, game-changing growth-management reform. Also, we completely reorganized the states economic development entities. Third, we eliminated corporate income taxes for half of the Florida businesses that pay them.
We curbed what could have been a damaging increase in unemployment taxes, created a merit-pay system for Floridas teachers, and passed the strongest set of pro-life initiatives in years.
In short, we had an extraordinary session.
And so the inevitable question -- and the reason I am sure many of you made the trip to Tallahassee today to ponder is -- "Whats next?"
Thats a question Ive asked myself numerous times, and spent many, many hours contemplating.
To be frank, over the past year, we succeeded in accomplishing most of the goals I set for myself and for the institution of the House, but there are others where we made substantial progress, but still have more work to do.
This session, we will face the challenging and increasingly complex process of drawing new legislative and congressional districts.
We will also face another daunting budget deficit. We will again be faced with difficult choices and good and worthwhile programs will have to absorb cuts.
Last year, for the first time in the history of the Republican majority, the House passed legislation to actually eliminate certain regulations on various professions. Unfortunately, the bill died on the last night of session. Im hopeful that we will see it revisited this year.
Additionally, while I dont anticipate as aggressive an agenda this year, I hope we will see the beginning of a serious conversation on higher education reform that can be acted upon in coming years.
Finally, I hope to make more progress toward a personal goal of mine -- which is to leave the Florida House of Representatives better and stronger than when I found it and to ensure the continued success of this institution despite the challenges created by term limits.
One way Ive tried to do that is to improve the quality and accessibility of information for members of the House, members of the media and our constituents.
I understand that in the media, your work is time-constrained, you have limited and shrinking resources and the value of your industry and your work is often underappreciated. But, that doesnt justify factual inaccuracies, failing to seek out and report on both sides of a story or giving a less thanfull picture of an issue.
I could legitimately make the same claims regarding the time and resources available to the Legislature or to state government to justify decisions made in Tallahassee, but you wouldnt buy it. And thats because at the end of the day, we have a responsibility to do our jobs, and our actions, choices and words have consequences.
Your responsibility to the people of Florida is no less important. Your written words have as many consequences as my spoken words.
Your stories travel quickly and last forever. Fact errors, however inadvertent or unintentional, can easily cause great damage as they quickly spread beyond the reach of updates you are able to provide, or corrections you have the ability to issue. One thing perhaps even more hazardous than a fact error is telling an incomplete or misleading story.
Words matter. I know that accuracy is important to you. It is important to our members and, most importantly, the citizens of Florida who read your stories and trust your outlets to provide the right information the first time.
The common thread between us is the need for information -- information for members to make decisions in committee and on the floor; information for staff members to address constituents concerns; and information for reporters to use as they tell Floridas story.
The House has worked hard to provide an unprecedented level of accurate, concise and timely substantive information.
Through the House Office of Public Information, weve created a series of nonpartisan, plain-language documents that explain complicated and complex issues of public policy.
Weve incorporated the use of video in order to reach a broader range of constituencies.
Weve upgraded software to allow for a more efficient and electronic processing of public records requests.
Last session, for the first time in the history of the House, our Rules Committee produced and publicized a daily order of business that communicated everything from the bills up for consideration, to the debate times agreed upon by the majority and minority parties, to a clear indication of procedural motions necessary to ensure the proper flow of business.
We did not introduce a single late-filed amendment and made descriptions of amendments prepared by substantive staff available to members, the press and the public.
Message lists -- which have over time been one of the most opaque parts of the process -- were electronically formatted and distributed as soon as they became available.
Ultimately, members of the House and members of the media had every opportunity to understand what we were voting on and when we were voting on it.
I encourage you to take advantage of the many new resources we have made available. Tomorrow, the House will host its third annual presession press information session. You are invited and encouraged to attend.
Finally, I would like to mention an issue that I have found frustrating over the past year.
I understand that for many, presiding officers of the House and Senate are viewed as the autocratic authorities of the legislative branch.
However, you know I firmly believe in the separation of powers. The legislative and executive branches are different for a reason. Im the speaker, not the governor.
Ive looked on with disappointment as too many reporters seem set to focus their narratives on me and my opinion, while ignoring my leadership team, committee chairs, and often even the member actually carrying the bill.
I dont and I wont weigh in on every issue. There are 120 members of the House, and in many cases Im not the best member to offer a comment on a particular issue or piece of legislation.
It is my job as speaker to manage the process, not to single-handedly pick winner and losers.
Im definitely not saying I dont have an influence or that I dont weigh in on some issues, but I dont do it to the extent or in as many ways as you seem to think I do.
I have worked hard to create a fair process that allows members to succeed or fail within a defined set of rules and expectations that are made clear from the onset.
I understand the power that is inherent in the role of speaker. But, I also know that leaders are equally judged for their restraint.
Its easy to call and ask what the speaker thinks. Its hard in a term-limited environment to get to know other members.
I am not the final authority on every issue, and I certainly dont have the only point of view. Im happy to answer your questions and provide my opinion when appropriate, but I encourage you to get to know the 119 other members as well.
The opportunity to serve as speaker is a rare privilege and one that I take seriously and plan to continue to approach with humility and commitment to principle.
Im hopeful that as we move forward you will understand and respect my approach to this position. I sometimes restrain my comments and limit my commitments not because I dont have opinions, but because I have a greater respect for our members and for the institution.
State Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, is entering his final session as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
