The Florida Chamber of Commerce released its annual legislative report card Wednesday, saying the high grade-average of state legislators reflects the successes the business community had pushing its agenda through the 2013 session.
When you have a good session like that, it's not surprising that the grades are also very good, David Hart, the Chamber's executive vice president tells Sunshine State News, noting that the average grade for all legislators was an 83 percent, a 'B.' The Chamber had a very successful session. We had approximately 40 priority issues this year, and we were able to pass about three-quarters of our agenda.
Among those successes, Hart notes, were passage of a legal reform bill that imposes stricter admission standards for expert witness testimony in state courts, a comprehensive education reform billand a bill granting sales tax exemptions for manufacturing equipment.
Highlights of the 2013 Legislative Report Card include these:
20 senators earned an A up from 17 in 2012;
73 representatives earned an A down from 79 in 2012;
59 percent of all legislators received an A.
Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford earned a grade of 100 percent, a perfect score.
Senate President Pro Tempore Garret Richter and Senate Majority Leader Lisbeth Benacquisto also received 100s, as did House Speaker Pro Tempore Marti Coley and House Majority Leader Steve Precourt.
Democratic leadership scored very low: Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith earned a 61 a D and Senate Minority Leader Maria Sachs received a 55.
an F; House Minority Leader Perry Thurston and Minority Leader Pro Tempore Mia Jones each received an F (50 percent and 53 percent, respectively).
Sen. Bill Montford of Tallahassee was the highest-scoring Democrat, with a 78 percent (a C, but a mere 2 points away from a B").
The lowest-scoring Republicans were Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla of Miami and Rep. Mike Fasano of New Port Richey, each earning a C (a score of 74 and 71, respectively).
More than 8,000 individual votes cast in committee and on the full chamber floors were tabulated to arrive at these figures, with some votes weighing heavier than others. Hart tells SSN, legislators were told before session started that their votes on pension reform, parent empowerment, legal reform, insurance reform, and state pre-emption of local government mandates would weigh twice as heavy as those cast on all the other Chamber priorities.
The grades typically reflect whether legislators were supportive of a pro-jobs agenda, Hart explains. Employers across the state will use this [report card] as a tool to know if their legislators supported things that will help them expand their businesses, hire their next employees, [enjoy] less regulation, enjoy a better business tax climate, a better legal climate, all those things that can bring us back to being the No. 1 private-sector job creator in the country.
No Democrat who received the Chamber's 2012 election endorsement scored higher than a C, and several earned D's and F's. Sen. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, notably received the Chamber's endorsement over his Republican rival in November, yet even he scored a 60, just barely a D.
Anyone at the Chamber feeling political buyer's remorse?
Hope springs eternal, an optimistic Hart says. My plan and the Chamber's plan is to spend additional time with Senator Soto this summer and see if there are not other areas that we agree on that he'd be able to support the Chamber on next year.
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
