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2023 Legislative Accomplishments

Prime Sponsor of HB 1125 Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact: Adds the State of Florida to a reciprocity agreement for occupational licensing between other states and the Department of Defense. Allows new to Florida teachers and vocational instructors in a compact state to receive the nearest equivalent license upon completion of a background check.

Prime Sponsor of HB 1127 Public Records Exemption for the ITMC: Provides a public records and meeting exemption for Florida appointed board member on the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact.

Prime Sponsor of HB 75 Protection of Judicial Assistants: Provides a public records exemption of detailed personal information to Judicial Assistants. Similar protections exist for Florida Judges.

Prime Sponsor of HB 1219 Inmate Welfare Trust Fund: Increases available funds from $2.5M to $32M for inmate drug & alcohol treatment, education opportunity and job training. A portion of the funds are for fixed capital outlay to improve educational classroom spaces.

Prime Sponsor of HB 1225 Sanford Airport Authority: Authorizes the Sanford Airport Authority, a special district of the City of Sanford, to enter into contracts and lease agreements for up to 99 years.

Prime Co-Sponsor of HB 485 Veterans Services and Recognition: Establishes the Veterans Adult Day Healthcare program under the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. Designates the week of November 11th as “Freedom Week” in the State of Florida and authorizes the Governor to issue an annual proclamation.

Prime Co-Sponsor of HB 1047 Offenses Against Certain Animals: Prohibits offering or doing violence to police horse or police canine in certain circumstances; increases classification of specified criminal offenses committed against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses.

Prime Sponsor of HF 410 Seminole County Public Schools Health Careers Pipeline Modernization: Provides an appropriation of $2,000,000 to revitalize the existing Academy of Health Careers at Seminole High School. This revitalization strengthens the pipeline for various patient care professionals by ensuring graduates are provided instruction and hands-on experience using industry-standard equipment in an authentic learning environment.

Prime Sponsor of HF 299 Seminole County Septic to Sewer Conversion (Wekiva Priority) Focus Area: Provides an appropriation of $1,000,000 to convert septic to sewer for homes currently served by onsite sewage treatment and disposal (septic) systems. Seventy-four residences located within the Wekiva Priority Focus Area have been identified for Phase I of this pilot (within Brantley Hall Estates, Brantley Harbor, and Cherry Hill). This program is a critical step towards reducing harmful nitrogen that flows from septic systems into the Wekiwa Spring.

Prime Sponsor of HF 1342 Winter Springs Police Body Worn Cameras: Provides an appropriation of $67,680 to assist with the implementation of a pilot body camera program to increase transparency and accountability, build community trust and improve law enforcement outcomes.

Prime Sponsor of HF 377 Seminole County Juvenile Drug Court: Provides an appropriation of $515,024 in order to maintain, enhance and expand the juvenile drug court program in Seminole County. The court has a long tradition of diverting youth through drug court to obtain treatment and avoid having an arrest on their record.

Prime Sponsor of HF 241 Veterans Entrepreneurship Initiative: Provides an appropriation of $250,000 to empower military veterans, members of the reserve, the national guard, and its dependents through business training, continuing education, and special programming designed to help minimize potential business risks, learn professional business skills, and ultimately increase business survivability rate.

Prime Sponsor of HF 161 Five Points Village Workforce Development Housing Project: Provides an appropriation of $495,000 to support the construction and infrastructure development of Five Points Village, a community of approximately 80 workforce development housing units in Sanford, FL to be rented by economically disadvantaged families and individuals seeking financial self-sustainability.

Prime Sponsor of HF 300 Westside Trail Construction: Provides and appropriation of $500,000 to connect one of the final trail segments in the larger 4.7 mile east-west trail network which spans the majority of the eastern and western portions of the City of Maitland.

Prime Sponsor of HF 297 Shalom Orlando, Inc. Generator Power Back-Up: Provides an appropriation of $350,000 to attain self-support/sustainment from extended power interruptions resulting from weather impacts, grid failures and targeted infrastructure attacks.

Prime Sponsor of HF 652 Remediation and Restoration of the Historic Bunnell Hall: Provides an appropriation of $870,000 for the restoration of the historic Bunnell City Hall.

Prime Sponsor of HF 237 ZeroEyes Florida Pilot Project: Provides an appropriation of $250,000 to fund proactive school shooter detection before shots are fired, saving time and lives. ZeroEyes’ active shooter detection technology uses artificial intelligence on existing security cameras to provide first responders with clear, accurate, and timely information, enabling them to respond more quickly and effectively.

Prime Sponsor of HF 408 Oviedo High Water Rescue/Wildland Fire Apparatus: Provides an appropriation of $275,000 to the City of Oviedo to purchase a high-water rescue vehicle that would have dual use as a wild-land firefighting apparatus. This vehicle would serve as the City’s primary high-water rescue vehicle for residents in the Little and Big Econlockhatchee River Basins as well as Wildland Fire Apparatus.

Prime Sponsor of HF 298 Oviedo Wastewater Septic to Sewer Master Study: Provides an appropriation of $250,000 in order to conduct a septic to sewer study. The intent is to identify, locate, plan and budget for septic systems to be converted into the City’s wastewater system. It will also consider any required improvements to the City’s wastewater plant so that it may handle the increased capacity.

Prime Sponsor HF 372 Seminole County Lake Jesup Watershed Project: Provides an appropriation of $1,000,000 to improve water quality, biological diversity and ecology of Lake Jesup. This project is part of Seminole County’s stormwater master plan and will provide water quality improvements by preventing toxic algal blooms and fish kills, allowing for enhanced recreational use.

Prime Sponsor of HF 49 Seminole State College Student Services Center Remodel: Provides an appropriation of $377,665 to remodel a building adjacent to the original Altamonte Springs campus. It will house student admissions, registration, transcript, financial aid, veterans, disability, and other services on campus.

Prime Sponsor of HF 242 Operation G.R.O.W. (Giving Real Opportunities for Work): Provides an appropriation of $495,046 to enhance existing abilities of program participants by developing additional life enrichment and job readiness skills to secure competitive, integrated employment. This is accomplished through real-world work experience, and classroom instruction.

Prime Sponsor of HF 777 Veteran Suicide Prevention: Provides an appropriation of $300,000 to the Florida Veterans Foundation to initiate a suicide prevention-specific outreach program targeting Florida’s veterans and their dependent family members.

Prime Sponsor of HF 374 Pathways to Home Supportive Housing: Provides an appropriation of $495,998 to secure permanent housing for 20 child welfare-involved families who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, with the intent to prevent children from entering/re-entering the child welfare system through response to the family’s housing needs.

Prime Sponsor of HF 1277 Orlando Health Opioid Navigator: Provides an appropriation of $500,000 for Orlando Health to expand Opioid Navigator services into Seminole County. An Opioid Navigator is an individual employed by a hospital whose job it is to direct patients with opioid addiction to services they need and guide them into treatment post-hospital discharge.

Prime Sponsor of HF 988 University of Central Florida Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinic for Florida Veterans and First Responders: Provides an appropriation of $1,000,000 to continue serving, at no cost, Florida’s veterans and active-duty military personnel, first responders, and victims of sexual assault, mass shootings and natural disasters. The innovative three-week intensive outpatient treatment program is the only program of its kind in the country. The program includes the use of virtual reality to enhance the effects of the therapy.

Prime Sponsor of HF48 Seminole State College Building “B” Altamonte Springs Campus: Provides an appropriation of $4,376,555 to fund the planning, design, survey, and site planning for the construction of a second workforce, science and technology building at the Altamonte Springs campus. The additional instructional capacity is for nursing, respiratory therapy and other critical healthcare workforce requirements.