Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, announced Wednesday that incoming Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, will take over from Rep. Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, as House majority leader in the 2014 session. Weatherford also announced that Precourt will take over the State Affairs Committee, which Crisafulli chaired during the 2013 session.
Speaker-designate Crisafulli has already earned the support of the Republican caucus as a future speaker; as majority leader he will help to articulate our partys vision for less government, education reform, low taxes and economic freedom in the next year," said Weatherford. "I want to thank Leader Precourt for doing a tremendous job in the majority office this year and I look forward to his leadership as the new chair of the State Affairs Committee.
Under Leader Precourts leadership, our members had a great session in 2013, and Im looking forward to more success in the next year, said Crisafulli. I appreciate Speaker Weatherfords confidence in me and thank him for the opportunity to serve as House majority leader.
Weatherford also announced that he will create a new select committee of Health Care Workforce Innovation. Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Hialeah, who is scheduled to become House speaker after the 2018 elections, will chair the new committee. Freshman Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Sebring, who is an emergency-room physician, will be the vice chairman.
According to the release announcing the new committee: The Select Committee will investigate health care practitioner workforce needs in Florida and explore policy options for meeting those needs. The Committee will study and pursue solutions for ensuring access to the right care in the right setting, including methods for increasing the number of practitioners educated in Florida, allowing practitioners to practice to the full extent of their education and training, and attracting a world-class health care workforce to Florida.
Weatherford will flesh out the committee and name other members in the coming weeks.
But while Weatherford named a new GOP leader and launched a new committee, most of the legislative leadership from 2014 will be familiar faces from 2013. There were no changes to the chairs of the current committee besides Precourt taking over State Affairs.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
