Last week, the Florida Chamber of Commerce released their annual Legislative Report Card which reviews Florida’s lawmakers’ efforts during the legislative session and tabulates a corresponding grade. The lawmakers’ grades are determined by alignment to Florida Chamber priorities and Where We Stand, another annual publication detailing the policy positions of the Florida Chamber heading into each legislative session.
For the 2021 Legislative Session, 88 lawmakers earned an “A” and 39 earned failing grades.
Among the priorities of the Florida Chamber included passing COVID-19 liability lawsuit protections for Florida’s businesses in the wake of the pandemic and a recovering economy.
“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,” said Mark Wilson, Florida Chamber President and CEO, in Where We Stand.
Among other Florida Chamber priorities was the passing of online-sales tax collection legislation and enhanced school choice options, both of which were signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis earned the praise of Wilson for signing pro-Chamber legislation.
“Florida’s economy won with the Florida Chamber-backed, pro-jobs policy passed during the 2021 Legislative Session,” said Wilson. “The actions taken by Governor DeSantis and Florida’s lawmakers will go a long way in continuing to build momentum towards creating the more than 2 million jobs necessary to take Florida from the 17th largest economy in the world to the 10th largest by 2030 and securing Florida’s future.”
Thirty-two lawmakers earned a perfect 100 percent from the Chamber, including Republican Party Chairman Sen. Joe Gruters (R-32). However, some lawmakers at odds with the Florida Chamber’s priorities use their “F” grade as a badge of honor.
I got an “F” grade from the Florida Chamber because I’m an overachiever for Florida’s families and fight for working people & small businesses versus corporations.
Cheers to my fellow lawmakers who did the same!! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/RDNPvL5QPI
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) June 21, 2021
“I got an ‘F’ grade from the Florida Chamber because I’m an overachiever for Florida’s families and fight for working people & small businesses versus corporations,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-47).
Of the lawmakers receiving failing grades, all of them are Democrats.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at the Florida Capital Star and the Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
