More than 100 Local Chambers of Commerce Working with the Florida Chamber’s COVID Liability Protection Coalition to Protect Local Businesses from Frivolous Lawsuits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

More than 100 Local Chambers of Commerce Working with the Florida Chamber’s COVID Liability Protection Coalition to Protect Local Businesses from Frivolous Lawsuits

Local Chamber Coalition Fighting to Pass Common Sense COVID Liability Protections

TALLAHASSEE, FL (February 15, 2021) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that more than 100 local Chambers of Commerce have joined the Florida Chamber’s COVID Liability Protection coalition. Providing certainty for Florida job creators with COVID-19 liability protections is key to safely getting Florida’s economy back on track. These protections are a necessary component to provide certainty that if businesses are following health and safety guidelines, they can fully re-open, add jobs, and engage in commerce without the fear of frivolous lawsuits.

“At the onset of the pandemic, the Florida Chamber started having conversations with our members across Florida, lawmakers, and the Executive branch about the need to support liability protections for Florida businesses that are working hard to reopen safely while following public health protocols and guidelines,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “It’s promising to see the business community unite for Florida’s job creators as we rebound Florida’s economy and grow from the 17^th largest economy in the world to the 10^th largest by 2030. With a current bottom 5 legal climate, the last thing Florida and its employers need is a tsunami of frivolous COVID lawsuits that will consume time, money and resources that would be better spent on creating more jobs, safety and investing back in the business.”

In addition to the more than 100 local Chambers of Commerce, the Florida Chamber also has strong Florida voter support for COVID liability protections. A recent statewide poll conducted by the Chamber shows likely Florida voters overwhelmingly support COVID-19 liability protections for businesses if the business made efforts to follow governmental public health guidelines, with 74 percent favoring protections. When liability protection is extended to include doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, support increases to 78 percent – an additional four points.

Local Chambers of Commerce who have joined the Florida Chamber’s COVID Liability Protection coalition include:

 

Please thank your local Chamber for helping us help you.

To join the Florida Chamber’s COVID Liability Protection coalition, visit www.FLChamber.com/COVIDLiabilityProtections.

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The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Veterans Florida Launch Florida SkillBridge Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Veterans Florida Launch Florida SkillBridge Coalition

Coalition aimed at providing assistance for transitioning servicemembers and employers in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FL (February 10, 2021) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Veterans Florida today announced the launch of Florida SkillBridge coalition, a coalition of industry partners aimed at providing assistance for transitioning servicemembers and employers into Florida’s growing workforce. The coalition will promote the Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge Program to employers and transitioning servicemembers across Florida, assist businesses in obtaining DOD SkillBridge approval for skilled workforce training, as well as train, retain, and attract the veterans workforce of tomorrow as we aim to keep Florida competitive.

“More than 1.5 million veterans call Florida home, making Florida the third largest veteran population in nation,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “We have 371,000 jobs open in Florida and 614,000 people looking for jobs. To bridge that gap, Florida is investing in and upskilling its transitioning servicemembers with new credentials and matching the skilled talent to the corporate needs in Florida. This investment is more important now than ever as we secure Florida’s future and prepare for the additional 4 million people who are expected to call Florida home by 2030.”  

The DOD SkillBridge Program, established in 2014, allows transitioning servicemembers during their final 180 days of active duty service to work as an apprentice, intern, or fellow at a private or public employer while maintaining their DOD salary and benefits with the goal of them smoothly easing into their new career. Connecting servicemembers with industry partners in real-world job experiences, the DOD SkillBridge program allows those servicemembers to gain valuable civilian experience through specific industry training while connecting them to industry partners who are provided an opportunity to access and leverage the world’s most highly trained and motivated workforce at no cost.

“Florida’s statewide SkillBridge coalition will lead the state’s efforts to increase awareness among transitioning servicemembers and employers,” said Veterans Florida Executive Director Joe Marino. “The mission of the SkillBridge initiative is clear: Train, retain, and attract the veteran workforce of tomorrow and maintain Florida’s competitive edge by creating a talent pipeline to fuel economic growth.”

Florida’s military installations and defense industries are powerful economic drivers, and businesses throughout Florida need to see Florida’s veterans as the workforce of today and tomorrow. Servicemembers typically remain in the state where their military service ended and retaining skilled talent in Florida will increase Florida’s economic activity as it rebounds and continues to grow the economy to the 10^th largest in the world by 2030. The Florida Chamber is uniting Florida’s business community around SB 586 and HB 435 to help ensure Florida’s global competitiveness, prosperity and high-paying jobs, and vibrant and resilient communities for all Americans.

“SkillBridge gave me the opportunity to receive an internship to work with IBM’s Watson division and is the reason I now work at Amazon Web Services,” said retired U.S. Army Colonel and Amazon Web Services Engagement Manager Derrick Fishback, a former SkillBridge participant. “Expanding the program will give more servicemembers the same professional opportunity to positively transition that I had and help them get their foot in the door with employers.”

For more information or to join the Florida SkillBridge Coalition, www.VeteransFlorida.org.

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Support for Florida Skillbridge Coalition:

“FEDC members hear firsthand from locating and expanding employers who value the skills of Florida servicemembers. DOD Skillbridge will allow these growing companies to match the right skills to the right position thus ensuring long-term success for the servicemember and for the company.” – Beth Cicchetti, Executive Director, Florida Economic Development Council

“Brevard County is home to thousands of active duty, reserve and guard personnel, who, along with military families and veterans, enrich our community and help fuel our economy. SkillBridge will help retain more of these talented individuals in Florida’s communities by helping them transition to the civilian careers where their discipline and work ethic is in high demand.”  – Lynda L. Weatherman, President and CEO, Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

“Florida remains steadfast in its commitment to support the career ambitions of the more than 16,000 servicemembers transitioning from our 21 military bases each year. This legislation ensures our veterans and their families will find no shortage of opportunity here and keeps Florida as their top destination when transitioning to civilian life.” – James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, Deputy Executive Director, Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs

“Supporting veterans with long-term, self-sustaining employment is the positive effect of a statewide SkillBridge solution. The impact of career alignment as veterans transition to civilian life creates a ripple effect of positive outcomes that can support a solid foundation as veterans enter the next chapter of their lives.” – Cesar Ruiz, President & CEO, Learning Alliance Corporation

“DOD SkillBridge exists to provide our transitioning service members the professional career development tools, resources, and in-demand industry certifications to launch themselves into the transitioning ecosystem. SkillBridge internship offers them the medium, experience, and time to successfully navigate the extreme cultural differences between the military and civilian workplace, which is one of the most difficult adjustments to make for a successful transition.” – Patricia Piazza, Program Manager, Onward to Opportunity

“This legislation will help provide our transitioning servicemembers the resources needed to successfully find high-quality work. We must continue to do everything we can to keep Florida as the most military-friendly state in the nation.”— Senator Tom Wright

“This legislation will position veterans to pursue high-tech job opportunities in Florida. This bill will give our veterans greater resources to transition the skills attained in the military into opportunities available in the civilian sector, such as modeling, simulation, and training or aviation. Their talents and abilities will strengthen Florida’s economy. On the Space Coast aerospace and defense contractors have benefited from the experience that veterans bring to the workplace— both in terms of technical expertise and military culture.  I am proud to work with my friend, Senator Tom Wright, to support our veterans and military families with this important legislation.”— Representative Tyler Sirois

“Addressing the skills gap in Florida’s manufacturing sector is vital for its future economic growth. Programs like the DoD SkillBridge Program create a talent pipeline of transitioning servicemembers for manufacturing employers to hire and train talent.”— Kevin Carr, CEO, FloridaMakes

“SkillBridge is the EXACT program we need to help build the high-tech workforce of the future in Florida. Accelerating experienced veterans through their transition from active duty into our workforce gets them engaged faster in Florida’s innovation ecosystem where they produce results from day one.”—Paul, A. Sohl, Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and Florida High Tech Corridor CEO

“The CareerSource Florida network is dedicated to assisting military veterans and their families with starting rewarding, new careers. We are honored to help raise awareness of the DOD SkillBridge program, which has become a valuable tool for our local workforce development board partners as they connect employers with skilled talent and help servicemembers transition into fantastic job opportunities.”—Michelle Dennard, President, CareerSource Florida

 

Florida Chamber of Commerce Reveals 2021 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Florida Chamber of Commerce Reveals 2021 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda

COVID-19 Liability Protections, Mainstreet Fairness, and Long-Term Investment Among Top Priorities

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (February 2, 2021) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce today revealed its 2021 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda highlighting where it stands on key business priorities for the upcoming legislative session. The Florida Chamber represents businesses of all sizes from Pensacola to Key West, and represents all economic sectors and industries across the state.  While COVID-19 may have slightly diverged the path that Florida is on, the Florida Chamber remains committed to Florida becoming the 10^th largest economy in the world and this year’s Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda creates a blueprint on how we will get there.

“Florida is at a crossroads and we are facing a lot of change as Florida continues relaunching its economy from the pandemic,” said Mark Wilson, President & CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Regardless of any diversions, the Florida Chamber’s 2030 Blueprint goals have not changed, and we are uniting the business community for good to ensure the right outcomes happen on the road to becoming the 10^th largest economy in the world by 2030. We need to continue forging a path forward, and while the approach may look slightly different, our overall direction is still focused on putting the long term ahead of the short term to keep Florida the best state to live, work, own a business, and raise a family.”

The impact of COVID-19 on Florida, the economy and the business community will serve as the lens with which the Florida Chamber will examine and address its legislative priorities. While the Chamber’s 2021 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda focuses on everything from education to transportation, environmental affairs, affordable housing, telecommunications and beyond, the following are a few highlights the Chamber will be focusing on this legislative session.

Providing Certainty for Florida Job Creators with COVID-19 Liability Protections

The number one priority of the Florida Chamber is safely getting the economy back on track. COVID-19 liability protections are a necessary component to provide certainty that if businesses are following health and safety guidelines, they can fully re-open, add jobs, and engage in commerce without the fear of being sued.  From the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, the Florida Chamber began discussions with businesses, lawmakers and the Governor’s office on why these protections were necessary.  Even if the source of exposure would be difficult to prove in a court of law, the cost and time associated with defending these cases are a significant burden and diverts resources that could be spent on creating jobs and investing back into the business. 

Legislation has already been filed and the Florida Chamber supports HB 7 and SB 72 by Representative Lawrence McClure and Senator Jeff Brandes.  The Florida Chamber will also be supportive of liability protections for healthcare facilities that responded to COVID-19. 

Leveling the Playing Field by Modernizing the Internet Sales Tax

The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact on how Floridians make purchases and internet sales have accelerated as a result. Currently, Florida is one of only two states that do not have an economic nexus test to collect online sales tax on purchases, and instead relies on a physical presence or for consumers to remit the tax themselves. The Florida Chamber urges the Legislature to modernize Florida’s sales tax law to collect from out-of-state retailers that have a substantial economic nexus to Florida. This is not a new tax but would shift the burden from Floridians remitting the tax to internet retailers.  This also levels the playing field between local, hometown businesses that are at a 6 percent disadvantage and struggling through the pandemic and their internet competitors.

Enhancing Florida’s Competitiveness by Improving Florida’s Bottom Five Legal Climate

A perennial issue, the Florida Chamber urges the legislature to tackle meaningful lawsuit abuse reform. The Florida Chamber has set a goal to improve Florida’s legal climate to the top 12 in the country by 2030, and while strides have been made through the Florida Supreme Court, we still have a long way to go.  Florida currently has a bottom-five legal climate compared to all 50 states according to the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform. The result of inaction is costing Florida families an additional $4,442 a year in increased costs on everything from a gallon of milk to the cost of auto insurance.  While there are hundreds of ways to improve Florida’s legal climate, the Florida Chamber urges tackling inflated medical damages in personal injury cases, meaningful bad faith reform, and addressing rising costs in property insurance. 

Retooling of Florida’s Workforce for the post-COVID 19 economy

COVID-19 has accelerated shifting trends within Florida’s economy, including automation and the nature of work. To that end, the Florida Chamber will work with Florida Legislature to pursue legislation that helps incentivize high-value credentials, degrees, and certifications with the goal of upskilling unemployed Floridians in as little as 12-18 months.

Investing in Florida’s Future

COVID-19 may have an impact on the state’s budget, but with 4 million more people planning to call Florida home by 2030, now is not the time to quit investing in Florida’s future.  The Florida Chamber urges prioritizing long-term investments such as in smart, science-driven energy infrastructure, transportation, telecommunications and by securing smart water policy.

The Florida Chamber tracks each bill identified by our board of directors in the annual Florida Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda, and grades lawmakers on these bills at the conclusion of the Legislative Session. We look forward to working with Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson and Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls to keep Florida on a forward path to becoming the 10^th largest economy in the world.

To view the Florida Chamber’s 2021 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda, visit www.flchamber.com/WhereWeStand.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

New Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Strong Voter Support for COVID-19 Liability Protections for Florida Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

New Florida Chamber Statewide Poll Shows Strong Voter Support for
COVID-19 Liability Protections for Businesses

TALLAHASSEE, FL (January 28, 2021) – The latest Florida Chamber statewide poll shows likely Florida voters overwhelmingly support COVID-19 liability protections for businesses if the business made efforts to follow governmental public health guidelines, with 74 percent favoring protections.

“Florida has the fifth worst legal climate in America and now is the time to safeguard local businesses from billboard trial lawyers trying to leverage the global pandemic for their own profit,” said Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

The Florida Chamber has been unifying Florida’s business community and leading the fight for COVID liability protections. At the onset of the pandemic, the Florida Chamber started having conversations with our members across Florida, lawmakers, and the Executive Branch about the need to support liability protections for Florida businesses that are working hard to reopen their doors safely while following public health protocols and guidelines. COVID liability protections would allow employers to do their part to relaunch Florida’s economy without the concern of being forced to defend themselves against a new wave of frivolous lawsuits.

“Voters have spoken and fully support COVID liability protections for Florida businesses who are doing right by their employees and customers,” said Nick Catroppo, Vice President of Political Operations at the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “We hope the Legislature listens to their constituents and passes this important legislation.”

Both the Florida Senate Judiciary and House Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee have heard testimony from the Florida Chamber during hearings for SB 72 and HB 7.

The Florida Chamber applauds Sen. Jeff Brandes and Rep. Lawrence McClure for prioritizing COVID liability and filing SB 72 and HB 7. Further, we commend Senate President Wilton Simpson and Speaker Chris Sprowls for their early action on this issue at the beginning of the interim committee weeks. Their leadership is a step in the right direction as Florida’s economy continues to rebound. Although Florida has 419,000 fewer jobs today than we did a year ago, Florida job creators have created over 700,000 jobs since last April.

The bills currently exclude healthcare providers and institutions, but the Florida Chamber is fighting for the extension of protections to all frontline employers and workers in the healthcare community to ensure they can continue saving lives without fear of facing frivolous lawsuits.

Furthermore, when liability protection is extended to include doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, support increases to 78 percent – an additional four points. Floridians realize the brave work being done by healthcare professionals and want to make sure they are protected from unnecessary litigation from personal injury trial lawyers who advertise on TV.

Florida’s economic relaunch and future hinges on the right policies passing that will help Florida’s economy continue to recover after the harmful impacts caused by a global pandemic, which is why the Florida Chamber is aggressively advocating for COVID liability protections.

Governor Ron DeSantis is earning strong approval ratings from likely Florida voters, according to the latest Florida Chamber of Commerce poll. A majority of likely voters – 54 percent – approve of the job that Governor Ron DeSantis is doing.

Further, as COVID-19 has affected everyday life in our country and world, we find Floridians are very willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine once available with more than 7 out of 10 voters saying they will take the vaccine when eligible.

Looking deeper into the numbers, voters over the age of 60 are even more willing to take the vaccine, with 82 percent indicating they will take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available and only 14 percent stating they are unlikely to take the vaccine.

ABOUT THIS POLL:  The Florida Chamber of Commerce political poll was conducted on January 14-22, 2021 by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 249 Democrats, 256 Republicans and 105 Others for a total of 610 respondents statewide.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber Supports COVID Liability Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Florida Chamber Supports COVID Liability Protections

The Florida Chamber of Commerce launches campaign in support of COVID-19 liability protections ahead of 2021 Legislative Session

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (January 11, 2021) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce has launched a campaign in support of passing COVID-19 liability protections for all Florida businesses. Florida’s businesses have suffered greatly from the global pandemic and are working hard to reopen their doors safely while following all public health protocols and guidelines. These employers need to be able to do their part to relaunch Florida’s economy without the concern of being forced to defend themselves against a wave of frivolous lawsuits.

“Florida has the fifth-worst legal climate in America and the last thing we need are a tsunami of frivolous COVID lawsuits as we seek to relaunch Florida’s economy. It’s important to provide Florida businesses, who are doing the right thing by their customers and employees, the assurance that they can continue doing their part to relaunch Florida’s economy without fear of facing frivolous lawsuits,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson. “It is encouraging these bills are being considered at the first opportunity in the 2021 Session. We look forward to working with Sen. Brandes, Rep. McClure and legislative leadership to ensure these bills move through the process and ultimately to Governor DeSantis’ desk in the strongest form possible.”

As we aim to move Florida’s economy from the 17^th largest in the world to the top 10 largest by 2030, the number one priority other than keeping everyone safe is to get the economy back on track. Liability protections are a necessary component to allow businesses to fully re-open, add jobs, and engage in commerce.

HB7 and SB72 create protections for business entities, educational institutions, governmental entities, and religious institutions and its persons. At this time, this bill does not include common sense protections for the frontline heroes at Florida’s healthcare facilities. The Florida Chamber will be advocating for COVID liability protections to include all frontline employers and workers in the healthcare community to ensure they can continue saving lives without fear of facing a lawsuit.

To join our efforts and contact your Legislators, visit https://bit.ly/39rcFpm.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Ten Reasons Businesses Large and Small are Welcome to Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Ten Reasons Businesses Large and Small are Welcome to Florida

Florida Chamber of Commerce launches Florida “Open for Business” Campaign

TALLAHASSEE, FL (December 22, 2020) – As the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is encouraging job creators to make the move to Florida with its new “Open for Business” campaign. Recent trends show major employers and entrepreneurs are considering relocating employees and operations from high-cost, high regulatory states like New York, Illinois and California to high value locations with excellent quality of life, top rated schools and a low-cost of living. Florida is a prime location for consideration with its competitive offerings and pro-business, pro-jobs climate. 

Constantly ranked one of the best states for job creation, Florida is committed to keeping regulatory red tape and business taxes low. That, along with a growing economy and zero personal state income tax, makes it one of the best places anywhere to do business.

10 Reasons More and More Employers Are Calling Florida Home:

1. 17^th Largest Economy in the World if Florida were a country.[i]
2. Growing Population & Economy: With more than 4M residents expected by 2030, income is also moving to Florida with $1.2M in wealth relocating to Florida every hour.[ii]
3. Top-Quality Education: Florida is ranked among the top five states in the nation for its education system[iii], fostering the best talent to prepare Florida’s workforce.
4. Lower Taxes: Florida has NO state income tax[iv] and is ranked fourth in the nation for its business tax climate.[v]
5. Job Creation: More than 1 in 11 jobs created in the U.S. since 2015 were created in Florida.
6. A Top State for Infrastructure thanks to six straight years of $10B in state transportation and infrastructure funding.
7. Gateway to Emerging Markets in the Americas and for international trade coming through the Panama Canal.
8. Business Friendly: Florida is a right to work state with a government committed regulatory certainty.
9. Fiscal Stability: Florida is currently ranked second in the nation for fiscal stability[vi], resulting in a AAA bond rating.
10. Great Quality of Life: Florida is known for great weather, recreation and culture while offering an affordable cost of living. Say goodbye to cold winters; Miami’s average temperature in December is 76 degrees.

[i] https://thefloridascorecard.org/
[ii] https://thefloridascorecard.org/
[iii] https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida
[iv] https://www.enterpriseflorida.com/why-florida/business-climate/tax-advantages/
[v] https://taxfoundation.org/2021-state-business-tax-climate-index/
[vi] https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber of Commerce Shares Concerns Over Passage of America’s first State Constituted $15 Wage Mandate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Florida Chamber of Commerce Shares Concerns Over Passage of America’s first State Constituted $15 Wage Mandate

Millions of servers, teens and part-time workers will be hit the hardest

 

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (November 3, 2020) – In the wake of the passage of Amendment 2 – a $7 million ballot proposal designed to help drive voter turnout, the Florida Chamber of Commerce lays out concerns for Florida’s future.

With the passage of Amendment 2, Florida is now the only state with a constitutionally-mandated minimum wage. The forced cost of living adjustments mean Florida will have the highest minimum wage in the nation long after 2026. Further, studies show this amendment will cause Florida to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs, drive up inflation, and cost Florida more than $700 million in lost revenue.

“Amendment 2 is bad for Florida and even worse for Floridians,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “In these difficult times, this costly amendment hurts the very local businesses trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.”

For the past year, we have unified Florida’s business community in an effort to educate Floridians about the negative consequences of the governed mandate. Now that the Amendment has passed, it is important to highlight these five major concerns as we work to secure Florida’s future.

1. The cost of living on seniors and families will increase;
2. Florida will lose hundreds of thousands of jobs;
3. There will be a rapid expansion of work related automation;
4. Certain businesses will relocate to neighboring states for experienced labor at a more competitive rate and on-the-job training initiatives will decrease; and
5. Certain employees will see a reduction in benefits.

After personal injury trial lawyers spent millions trying to make life more expensive for Floridians and kill opportunities for teens and those in the entry level job market, it is no surprise that Floridians were tricked into believing this Amendment will help our state. The Florida Chamber of Commerce will continue to work towards securing Florida’s future and aggressively oppose mandates that are wrong for Florida. We have nearly 900,000 children in poverty in Florida and thanks to the special interests behind this constitutional scam, hundreds of thousands of them won’t have opportunities they would have had.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Voters Support 97% of Florida Chamber-Backed Legislative Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Florida Voters Support 97% of Florida Chamber-Backed Legislative Candidates

12 of 12 in the Senate and 74 of 77 in the House — Elected pro-jobs candidates will help secure Florida’s future

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (November 3, 2020) – Continuing a positive track record of helping to elect pro-jobs candidates, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and our members helped deliver election wins for 86 of 89 Chamber-backed candidates. This diverse group of candidates have committed to securing Florida’s future by focusing on free enterprise principles and job creation for local employers and their communities, while working to fix Florida’s broken and unfair lawsuit abuse problem.

“Congratulations to Senate President Designate Wilton Simpson, House Speaker Designate Chris Sprowls and the 97% of Florida Chamber pro-jobs candidates who won their races,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “As we unite business for good, we trust those elected will make great strides in safeguarding the strength of our economy and making Florida’s business climate even more competitive. We are already uniting Florida’s business leaders for the 2022 statewide election as Florida’s future continues to become even more important.”

The Florida Chamber constantly strives to recruit better candidates for the legislature and 2020 was a very successful year for growing our collective effort. Here are a few highlights from this election cycle:

• This cycle, the Florida Chamber endorsed over 90 legislative candidates, backing their candidacies with financial resources and substantial voter educative efforts.
• In the past few months, over one-hundred million dollars was spent to win Florida’s legislative races. Campaigns are getting more expensive which is why the Florida Chamber recently launched the Free Enterprise Fund – a member-driven fund to elect pro-jobs candidates for Florida’s future.
• With 1.56 million more registered voters since the 2016 Presidential election, Florida’s electorate continues to grow and evolve as Florida remains the nation’s most important battleground state.

Ahead of the General Election, the Florida Chamber of Commerce released its 2020 Candidate Election Guide, a guide of the candidates and amendments that support job creation, growing the economy and securing Florida’s future, to serve as a resource to Florida voters.

“A very special thank you to our Florida Chamber members for making the resources available to help Florida move in a pro-jobs direction and we congratulate these candidates for their success; we trust that they will work tirelessly on behalf of all Floridians,” added Nick Catroppo, Vice President of Political Operations, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber will continue to unify Florida business for good and we look forward to working with these legislators throughout the coming years.”

The Florida Chamber was proud to stand alongside the following Chamber-backed election winners, putting its near 150 years of combined political experience behind supporting them in the months and sometimes years preceding this election.

Senate Election Endorsements:
District 1: Senator Doug Broxson
District 5: Jennifer Bradley
District 7: Senator Travis Hutson
District 9: Jason Brodeur
District 11: Senator Randolph Bracy
District 17: Senator Debbie Mayfield
District 20: Danny Burgess
District 21: Jim Boyd
District 23: Senator Joe Gruters
District 25: Senator Gayle Harrell
District 27: Ray Rodrigues
District 39: Ana Maria Rodriguez

House Election Endorsements:
District 1: Michelle Salzman
District 2: Representative Robert Alexander “Alex” Andrade
District 3: Representative Jayer Williamson
District 4: Patt Maney
District 6: Representative Jay Trumbull
District 7: Representative Jason Shoaf
District 10: Representative Robert Charles “Chuck” Brannan III
District 11: Representative Cord Byrd
District 12: Representative Clay Yarborough
District 15: Representative Wyman Duggan
District 16: Representative Jason Fischer
District 17: Representative Cyndi Stevenson
District 18: Sam Garrison
District 19: Representative Bobby Payne
District 21: Representative Charles Wesley “Chuck” Clemons, Sr.
District 22: Joe Harding
District 23: Representative Stan McClain
District 24: Representative Paul Renner
District 25: Representative Thomas J. “Tom” Leek
District 26: Representative Elizabeth Anne Fetterhoff
District 27: Webster Barnaby
District 28: Representative David Smith
District 29: Representative Scott Plakon
District 31: Keith Truenow
District 32: Representative Anthony Sabatini
District 33: Representative Brett Thomas Hage
District 34: Representative Ralph E. Massullo, MD
District 35: Representative Blaise Ingoglia
District 36: Representative Amber Mariano
District 37: Representative Ardian Zika
District 38: Representative Randy Maggard
District 39: Representative Josie Tomkow
District 40: Representative Colleen Burton
District 41: Representative Sam H. Killebrew
District 42: Fred Hawkins
District 50: Representative Rene “Coach P” Plasencia
District 51: Representative Tyler I. Sirois
District 52: Representative Thad Altman
District 53: Representative Randy Fine
District 55: Kaylee Tuck
District 56: Representative Melony M. Bell
District 57: Representative Mike Beltran
District 58: Representative Lawrence McClure
District 60: Representative Jackie Toledo
District 65: Speaker Designate Chris Sprowls
District 66: Representative Nick DiCeglie
District 67: Representative Chris Latvala
District 71: Representative William Cloud “Will” Robinson, Jr.
District 72: Fiona McFarland
District 73: Representative Tommy Gregory
District 74: Representative James Buchanan
District 75: Representative Michael Grant
District 76: Adam Botana
District 77: Mike Giallombardo
District 78: Jenna Persons
District 79: Representative Spencer Roach
District 80: Lauren Melo
District 83: Representative Toby Overdorf
District 84: Dana Trabulsy
District 85: Representative Rick Roth
District 89: Representative Mike Caruso
District 93: Representative Chip LaMarca
District 103: Tom Fabricio
District 105: David Borrero
District 106: Representative Bob Rommel
District 110: Alex Rizo
District 111: Representative Bryan Avila
District 112: Representative Nicholas X. Duran
District 114: Demi Busatta Cabrera
District 115: Representative Vance Arthur Aloupis, Jr.
District 116: Representative Danny Perez
District 118: Representative Anthony Rodriguez
District 119: Representative Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin
District 120: James “Jim” Vernon Mooney Jr.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Survey Reveals Impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s Small Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Survey Reveals Impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s Small Businesses

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (October 22, 2020)— To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the state’s small businesses, the Florida Chamber Foundation, the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, and the University of West Florida Haas Center partnered to conduct a Small Business COVID Impact Survey. More than 4,800 individuals completed the survey, covering 95 percent of Florida’s counties and representing all industry sectors.

Researchers investigated the contributions of businesses with fewer than 100 employees on the state’s economy and found that 60 percent of net new job gains in Florida since 2012 have come from small businesses with less than 100 employees, confirming the important role small businesses play in the state’s economy.

The study illustrates the significant uncertainty that exists among small businesses in the state, with a staggering 60.8 percent revealing they are extremely concerned about the economy and 45.4 percent expressing their concern about their ability to operate in the future.

More than half of businesses either voluntarily closed or were forced to close their doors, with more than 30 percent revealing their operations were still suspended during the time of the survey. With 85.1 percent of business leaders surveyed indicating lost revenue, a majority of businesses have taken advantage of relief programs and received PPP loans, but these businesses say additional support is still needed in order to remain operating.

Florida’s 2.7 million small businesses are the backbone of Florida’s economy. They are the job creators, wealth generators, and the hope for a brighter future for millions of Floridians. To highlight the growth and ongoing role small businesses play in our economic development, the Florida Chamber Foundation has added new data to track the growth of businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Visit TheFloridaScorecard.org and click on the Innovation & Economic Development icon at the top.

The impact COVID-19 has had on them has been devastating and this research identifies the ongoing challenges small business leaders and their employees face. To view the full report, visit www.FLChamber.com/COVIDImpact.

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The Florida Chamber Foundation is the business-led, solutions development and research organization working in partnership with state business leaders to secure Florida’s future. The Foundation’s “Six Pillars” serve as a visioning platform for developing the first-ever, long-term strategic plan for the state. The Foundation’s work focuses on: 1) Talent Supply and Education, 2) Innovation and Economic Development, 3) Infrastructure and Growth Leadership, 4) Business Climate and Competitiveness, 5) Civic and Governance Systems, and 6) Quality of Life and Quality Places. Founded in 1968, the Foundation is a crucial voice for improving the state’s pro-business climate to enable Florida to grow and prosper. Visit www.FLFoundation.org  for more information. 136 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301

New Florida Chamber Political Poll Shows a Divided Electorate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

New Florida Chamber Political Poll Shows a Divided Electorate

However, voters of all parties agree their top concerns are COVID-19, Jobs, and the Economy

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (October 2, 2020) – With 32 days to go before the 2020 General Election, the latest Florida Chamber statewide political poll shows likely Florida voters are evenly split with 45 percent saying Florida is heading in the right direction and 45 percent saying Florida is on the wrong track. Partisanship is clearly impacting responses with nearly 8 out of 10 Republicans saying Florida is heading in the right direction, while 7 out of 10 Democrats say Florida is on the wrong track. 

 

“The 2020 General Election results will impact Florida’s future as we work to become the 10^th most diverse economy in the world by 2030,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Our statewide poll helps give us a look at voters’ alignment to the competitiveness and pro-business agenda supported by the Florida Chamber.”  

 

When asked which issues they would like to see the Governor & Florida Legislature address, unsurprisingly, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic takes the number one spot followed by jobs and the economy, supporting the police, healthcare, and education:

• COVID-19 Issues     29%
• Jobs/Economy          15%
• Support the Police   8%
• Healthcare                8%
• Education                  7%

Before COVID-19, Florida was the 17^th largest economy in the world (if Florida were a country), we created 1 out of 11 new U.S. jobs since 2015, we were the third largest state in the country and growing by 900 people a day. Since coronavirus, Florida has 546,500 less jobs, we expect a drop of $5.4 billion in tax revenues over the next two fiscal years, and our economy was put into a recession to protect the health of Floridians. So, it’s no doubt why likely voters say jobs and the economy is their number one issue after COVID-19.

 

Further, the race for the White House leads directly through Florida. Florida voters have selected the winner in 11 out of the last 12 presidential elections. Florida is the largest swing state by population and both Democrats and Republicans will be fighting hard over the next 32 days for its 29 electoral votes. When asked if the election were held today, for whom would you vote, former Vice President Joe Biden leads by 5 percent over President Donald Trump.

 

In the November General Election, Florida will decide on six constitutional amendments. Amendment 2, the nation’s first $15 state minimum wage mandate is receiving 66 percent support based on the amendment’s title. However, once voters are informed the amendment would raise prices for seniors on a fixed income, eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, force business to move to neighboring states for experienced labor at a more competitive rate, and cost taxpayers more than $700 million in lost revenue, the support for Amendment 2 drops to only 39 percent. The Florida Chamber opposes this amendment.  

 

Amendment 3, the “All Voters Vote” amendment, would move Florida to a jungle primary, similar to California, where all candidates for Governor and State Legislature would be on the ballot at the same time and the top two candidates move onto the General Election. Amendment 3 is supported by 61 percent of voters, hovering just over the 60 percent threshold for passage. The Florida Chamber opposes this amendment.  

 

Amendment 4, “Voter Approval of Constitutional Amendments” measure would require proposed amendments to the constitution be approved by voters in two consecutive elections, is supported by 61 percent of voters, barely enough for passage. The Florida Chamber supports this amendment.  

 

Additional findings from the Florida Chamber’s latest statewide poll shows:

 

Do you approve or disapprove of the movement to defund the police?

20% approve

72% disapprove

 

How do you plan to vote in the 2020 General Election?

28% Election Day
33% Early
33% By Mail

 

 

Florida Hits 14 Million Registered Voters: When it comes to voter registration, the latest data shows Florida has crossed the 14 million voter point, gaining more than 1.5 million new voters from the same point four years ago. Since 2016, state voter registration data shows that Republicans have narrowed the registration gap by 90,813 voters and NPA/other registration has increased by 554,795 voters.

 

Florida’s Vote-by-Mail System: Vote-by-Mail statistics show more Florida voters than ever before are choosing to request VBM ballots rather than voting early or on Election Day. For the first time in Florida history, a majority of ballots were cast by mail in the Primary Election. More than 5.3 million Floridians have requested a VBM ballot and 341,877 votes have already been cast.

 

Democratic – 184,552 (53.98%)

Republican – 93,212 (27.26%)

NPA/Other – 64,113 (18.75%)

Total Votes Cast – 341,877

 

Polling Methodology: The Florida Chamber of Commerce political poll was conducted on September 23-29, 2020 by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 247 Democrats, 242 Republicans and 115 Others for a total of 604 likely voters statewide.

 

Florida Chamber Political Institute: This election, FCPI interviewed 91 candidates for the state legislature, conducting over 45 hours of interviews virtually.

 

Florida Institute for Political Leadership: So far in 2020, FIPL has conducted 6 virtual trainings, educating over 220 individuals, to help recruit and train better candidates across the State of Florida.

 

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber of Commerce Opposes Placing America’s First Statewide $15 Minimum Wage Mandate in Florida’s Constitution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Sweat, Media Relations Manager
msweat@flchamber.com
850.521.1258

Florida Chamber of Commerce Opposes Placing America’s First Statewide $15 Minimum Wage Mandate in Florida’s Constitution

The Amendment 2 mandate would hurt seniors, part time workers, local businesses and young adults in poverty who need training jobs

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (September 15, 2020) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce continues to unify Florida’s business community and is helping to raise awareness to the negative impacts of Amendment 2 – constitutionally mandating America’s first $15 statewide minimum wage.

If Amendment 2 passes, Florida will be the only state in America with a constitutionally-mandated $15 minimum wage, raising minimum wage to $10 per hour in 2021, and increasing by a dollar each year until it reaches $15 in 2026. After that, future minimum wage increases would be adjusted annually for inflation, eventually reaching $20, $25 and higher with no cap, regardless of a small employer’s ability to pay. Amendment 2 hurts the very people the special interests behind this amendment claims it helps. The forced cost of living adjustments mean Florida likely will have the highest minimum wage in the nation long after 2026. Further, we know this amendment will cause Florida to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs, drive up inflation, and cost Florida taxpayers more than $700 million in lost revenue.

“Amendment 2 is bad for Florida and worse for Floridians. Equity gaps already exist in America, and in Florida. Amendment 2 would only serve to create larger gaps for entry level employees, many of whom are minorities, seniors, young adults and re-entry workers,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “In these difficult times, we must work to secure Florida’s future and defeat this costly amendment which would create job loss, hurt local businesses, increase the cost of living for seniors, and drive good jobs elsewhere or even to automation.”

With millions of dollars being spent by personal injury trial lawyers to influence Floridians’ vote on Amendment 2, Floridians should be aware and focus on economic growth opportunities that move Florida forward.  We all want Floridians to have access to $50,000 careers, but this is not the pathway to success. For over a year, the Florida Chamber has been informing our members of this dangerous amendment, including through our website with facts, shareable graphics, and a social media toolkit as well as a digital ad highlighting its opposition to this costly and devastating amendment. The website and digital ad can be viewed here.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber Foundation Unveils The Florida Gap Map – A First in the Nation Interactive Tool Identifying Equity Gaps in Poverty and Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Logan Lewkow, PR Counsel
loganl@themooreagency.com
850.527.1209

Florida Chamber Foundation Unveils The Florida Gap Map – A First in the Nation Interactive Tool Identifying Equity Gaps in Poverty and Education

Tied to Florida 2030 goal of cutting childhood poverty in half and having 100 percent of third graders reading on or above grade level

 

TALLAHASSEE, FL (September 10, 2020) – As Florida strives to become the 10^th largest economy in the world by 2030, if it were a nation, the Florida Chamber Foundation continues its focus on the 39 targets and goals that must be achieved to get there. Equity gaps exist in Florida and Florida’s global competitiveness depends on a quality education system. For the business community, a commitment to this education system must begin early. Today, Florida Chamber Foundation’s unveiled the nation’s first interactive tool, the Florida Gap Map, which visualizes equity gaps in poverty and education including the third grade reading scores for every public school in Florida and childhood poverty rates in each of Florida’s 983 zip codes.

“Over the next decade the Florida Chamber wants to cut poverty in half (currently 870,505 children living in poverty) and ensure 100 percent of our third graders are reading at grade level (currently 58 percent). As a first in the nation tool, the Florida Gap Map will help parents, business leaders and policy makers identify Florida’s equity gaps in poverty and education and will help unite the business community to create opportunity for all Florida children regardless of zip code, race, gender or any other factor,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Florida business leaders are already spearheading positive solutions in their local communities and the Florida Gap Map provides critical information they need to determine where to focus their efforts.”

Children entering third grade this school year will be preparing to graduate from high school in 2030. To ensure they are prepared for an increasingly complex workforce, they must have a strong foundation.

“We developed this interactive tool as the one source in Florida to show the correlations between school reading scores and poverty. The Florida Gap Map will help guide business leaders, non-profits, governments and philanthropists who are interested in helping improve Florida’s public schools,” said Dr. Jerry Parrish, Chief Economist, Florida Chamber Foundation.

Currently, there are more than 870,000 Florida children living in poverty. Additionally, only 58 percent of Florida’s third graders can read on or above grade-level. By the year 2030, the Florida Chamber Foundation is committed via its Florida Prosperity Initiative to cut childhood poverty in half and through the Business Alliance for Early Learning to increase the number of third graders reading at grade level to 100 percent helping to secure those who represent the future of Florida: our youngest Floridians. These vital metrics and more are available on TheFloridaScorecard.org – a dynamic online tool that identifies and tracks the key factors impacting Florida’s future.

The Florida Gap Map shows where the important work of the Business Alliance for Early learning intersects with the Prosperity Initiative. To access the Florida Gap Map and learn more about Third grade reading score and childhood poverty rates in your own zip code and neighborhood, please visit: www.TheFloridaGapMap.org.

 

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The Florida Chamber Foundation is the business-led, solutions development and research organization working in partnership with state business leaders to secure Florida’s future. The Foundation’s “Six Pillars” serve as a visioning platform for developing the first-ever, long-term strategic plan for the state. The Foundation’s work focuses on: 1) Talent Supply and Education, 2) Innovation and Economic Development, 3) Infrastructure and Growth Leadership, 4) Business Climate and Competitiveness, 5) Civic and Governance Systems, and 6) Quality of Life and Quality Places. Founded in 1968, the Foundation is a crucial voice for improving the state’s pro-business climate to enable Florida to grow and prosper. Visit www.FLFoundation.org  for more information.

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Florida Chamber of Commerce Releases 2020 General Election Voter Guide to Securing Florida’s Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Logan Lewkow, PR Counsel
loganl@themooreagency.com
850.527.1209

Florida Chamber of Commerce Releases 2020 General Election Voter Guide to Securing Florida’s Future

A Nonpartisan Guide to the Candidates and Amendments on the November 3^rd Ballot

TALLAHASSEE, FL (September 3, 2020) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce continues to be the unifying voice for business in Florida politics and following a successful Primary Election for Florida’s business community, the Florida Chamber has released its 2020 General Election Voter Guide with endorsements for the State Senate, State House, and select Constitutional Amendments across Florida.

The Florida Chamber fights to secure Florida’s future by focusing on free enterprise principles and job creation for local businesses, while working to fix Florida’s broken and unfair legal system. With no official state election guide, the Florida Chamber provides one free of charge to keep voters who care about jobs and the economy informed. We intend for this voter guide to provide Floridians with the information they need before heading to the polls on November 3^rd.

“The Florida Chamber goes to great lengths interviewing candidates to ensure they will advance commonsense, pro-business efforts to further economic opportunity for everyone,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “We have a long-standing focus of uniting Florida’s business community to help make Florida more competitive and we’re glad to share this guide with fellow Floridians.”

General Election vote-by-mail ballots are being distributed in a few short weeks, and voters are gathering information and making decisions on candidates and amendments. To date, 4,270,781 Floridians have requested a vote-by-mail ballot, a 27.5% increase from 2016 total requests.

“With campaigns across the state and numerous candidates up for election, it can be hard to cut through the noise and learn the facts about which candidate is right for local businesses and job growth,” added Nick Catroppo, Vice President of Political Operations, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Our General Election Voter Guide helps simplify the process by making it clear who stands with economic growth and has earned the trust of the Florida Chamber as we continue to move Florida forward.”

With hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to influence your vote in Florida, Floridians deserve a nonpartisan look at moving Florida forward. The Florida Chamber’s virtual guide, which will be shared by employers across Florida, may be viewed here.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber of Commerce Makes Twelve More Endorsements in House Districts 1, 4, 22, 27, 47, 55, 72, 96, 105, 110, 114, 120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Logan Lewkow, PR Counsel
loganl@themooreagency.com
850.527.1209

Florida Chamber of Commerce Makes Twelve More Endorsements in House Districts 1, 4, 22, 27, 47, 55, 72, 96, 105, 110, 114, 120

TALLAHASSEE, FL (August 27, 2020) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce is continuing to unite Florida’s business community to help make Florida more competitive, and today endorsed Michelle Salzman, Patt Maney, Joe Harding, Webster Barnaby, Jeremy Sisson, Kaylee Tuck, Fiona McFarland, Christine Hunschofsky, David Borrero, Alex Rizo, Demi Busatta Cabrera, and James “Jim” Vernon Mooney Jr. in their respective campaigns for the Florida House.

The Florida Chamber interviewed candidates in legislative battles all over Florida and this bipartisan list of candidates have committed to helping us secure Florida’s future by focusing on free enterprise principles and job creation for local businesses, while working to fix Florida’s broken and unfair legal system.

“These candidates support priorities and policies where local businesses can thrive as Florida continues to lead as the best state in the nation for jobs and smart growth,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Through these difficult times, we will continue our work to secure Florida’s future by supporting candidates that are pro-business, pro-jobs and will safeguard the strength of our economy.”

The latest Florida Chamber statewide poll of likely Florida voters shows that 71 percent support COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that are working hard to protect the health and safety of employees and customers, and they believe the Florida Legislature should pass legislation to provide these common-sense safe harbors for job creators.

“These strong candidates will work tirelessly to create jobs and move Florida in the right direction,” said Nick Catroppo, Vice President of Political Operations, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber is proud to stand with them and we look forward to working with them in the Florida House.”

The Florida Chamber stands alongside the following candidates, putting its full 100-plus years of combined political experience behind getting them elected.

District 1: Michelle Salzman
District 4: Patt Maney
District 22: Joe Harding
District 27: Webster Barnaby
District 47: Jeremy Sisson
District 55: Kaylee Tuck
District 72: Fiona McFarland
District 96: Christine Hunschofsky
District 105: David Borrero
District 110: Alex Rizo
District 114: Demi Busatta Cabrera
District 120: James “Jim” Vernon Mooney Jr.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.

Florida Chamber of Commerce Endorses Jason Brodeur in Senate District 9 Race

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Logan Lewkow, PR Counsel
loganl@themooreagency.com
850.527.1209

Florida Chamber of Commerce Endorses Jason Brodeur in Senate District 9 Race

TALLAHASSEE, FL (August 24, 2020) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce is uniting Florida’s business community for good, and today endorsed Jason Brodeur in the Senate District 9 race to replace term-limited Senator David Simmons.

As a local Chamber President/CEO, Jason Brodeur has a strong track record of reforming our broken legal system, while also fighting back against job-killing regulations, earning a lifetime score of 94 percent “A” on the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card.

 “Jason Brodeur has been a relentless champion for local businesses, earning two Distinguished Advocate awards during his time in the Florida House,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Jason’s leadership and vision will continue serving Florida well, ensuring we remain competitive and focused on economic growth.”

The latest Florida Chamber statewide poll of likely Florida voters shows that 71 percent support COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that are working hard to protect the health and safety of employees and customers, and they believe the Florida Legislature should pass legislation to provide these safe harbors for job creators. Jason Brodeur is the only candidate for Senate District 9 who has exhibited the leadership necessary to advance these types of commonsense, pro-business efforts.

“During his time in the House, Jason has consistently fought to find long-term solutions to help create jobs and diversify Florida’s economy,” added Nick Catroppo, Vice President of Political Operations, Florida Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to working with him in the Florida Senate.”

The Florida Chamber is proud to support Jason Brodeur, putting its full 100-plus years of combined political experience behind getting him elected.

“I’m proud to have the endorsement of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Now, more than ever, we need to keep our focus on building and maintaining a vibrant economy. Protecting Florida’s low tax climate, promoting investments in education and infrastructure and ensuring that we work closely with our small businesses are all critical factors to helping get Floridians back to work. I look forward to working with the Chamber as a member of the Florida Senate,” said Jason Brodeur.

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Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Florida Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.