FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE. Table of Contents

Transcription

1 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE FLORIDA The American Conservative Union is taking our highly touted Congressional Ratings program to State Legislatures for the third year in a row, grading members on their votes on key conservative issues. Last year, we graded State Legislators in fifteen critical states, including Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. This year, we are expanding our ratings to twenty states. ACU first began rating members of Congress in Since then, our ratings system has become the most important conservative measuring stick in American politics -- the gold standard for voters seeking more information on their representatives records. Throughout the history of our conservative ratings program, the ACU has also become the go-to source for determining whether an elected official s philosophical rhetoric matches his or her record. Our guides provide a comprehensive analysis of the legislative landscape over the preceding year. This differentiates us from other useful guides which may emphasize single areas, like taxes, defense, or Table of Contents social policy. Our annual matrix covers issues running the gamut of legislative action, including domestic energy production, healthcare, government reform, climate change, border security, foreign policy, and social issues. These issues are carefully selected to ensure legislators are scored and rated on the bellwether conservative topics they voted on over the course of the year. This expansion of our Conservative Ratings program is part of Chairman Al Cardenas vision for building on successful ACU initiatives and taking the fight for conservative principles to the state and local levels. Eventually we will bring our ratings to all fifty states -- scoring every legislature in every state, every year. ACU Board Members A Letter From The Chairman How We Selected the Votes Conservative All-Stars FL House Vote Descriptions House Scores FL Senate Vote Descriptions Senate Scores American Conservative Union 1331 H St. NW, Suite 500, Washington DC (202) conservative.org

2 ACU Board Members Al Cardenas (Chairman) Thomas S. Winter (First Vice Chairman) Donald Devine (Second Vice Chairman) Becky Norton Dunlop (Treasurer) Jameson G. Campaigne, Jr. (Secretary) Joe Bast Jeffrey Bell Morton C. Blackwell Ambassador John Bolton Floyd Brown Muriel Coleman Dr. Larry Eastland Paul Erickson Carly Fiorina Charlie Gerow Alan M. Gottlieb Van D. Hipp, Jr. Asa Hutchinson David A. Keene Suhail A. Khan James V. Lacy Michael R. Long Honorable Serphin Maltese Carolyn D. Meadows Cleta Mitchell Joseph A. Morris Grover G. Norquist Ron Robinson Allen Roth Matt Schlapp Fred L. Smith, Jr. Lewis K. Uhler Kirby Wilbur ACU Foundation Board Members Carly Fiorina (Chairman) Van D. Hipp, Jr. (Treasurer) Carolyn D. Meadows (Secretary) Al Cardenas Amy Noone Frederick Tim Goeglein Millie Hallow Colin A. Hanna David Keene Robert Luddy Ambassador Roger F. Noriega Thomas S. Winter 2

3 November 5, 2013 Dear Fellow Conservative, On behalf of our Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union s 2013 State Legislative Ratings for members of the Florida Legislature. Since 1971, our Congressional ratings have become the gold standard in holding every member of Congress accountable for their voting record on the most important issues facing our nation. Last year we brought that same commitment to conservative ideals to the states, rating members in fifteen legislatures. I am pleased to report that this year we will score 20 states. This is part of the ACU plan to bring our ratings to all 50 states -- scoring every legislature in every state, every cycle. There could not be a more critical time for conservatives to evaluate America s leadership and hold them accountable for their actions. Our economy, our international standing, our very moral fiber are weaker because this administration has put us on a course to bigger government, less freedom, and an abandonment of traditional values. With our government expanding faster now than at any time in our country s history, the ACU intends to continue to play a major role in giving the American people the tools they need to make informed voting decisions at every level of government. While some may be disheartened by the results of November s elections, conservatives found themselves in a similar situation after President Obama first took office in the spring of The cause of conservatism dramatically reasserted itself in the 2010 elections, with conservative legislators winning an unprecedented number of elections nationwide. Because of this, our 2013 State Legislative Ratings are vital for voters to make informed choices on the future of our nation. We can come back even stronger in 2014, but only if we start our march toward victory now. Thank you for your continued support. I know that together we can ensure America s best days are still ahead. Sincerely, Al Cardenas, ACU Chairman Al Cardenas Chairman, the American Conservative Union 1331 H Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC Tel: (202) Fax: (202)

4 How We Selected the Votes 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE FLORIDA The American Conservative Union is taking our highly touted Congressional Ratings program to State Legislatures for the third year in a row, grading members on their votes on key conservative issues. Last year, we graded State Legislators in fifteen critical states, including Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. This year, we are expanding our ratings to twenty states. ACU first began rating members of Congress in Since then, our ratings system has become the most important conservative measuring stick in American politics- the gold standard for voters seeking more information on their representatives records. This expansion of our Conservative Ratings program is part of Chairman Al Cardenas vision for building on successful ACU initiatives and taking the fight for conservative principles to the state and local levels. This is part of the ACU five-year plan to bring our ratings to all fifty states- scoring every legislature in every state, every year. Conservative All-Stars of the Florida State Legislature Defenders of Liberty ACU Defenders of Liberty are those members of the Florida Legislature who scored 100 percent on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Rating and cast a vote for each adjudicated vote. Florida Senate: None Florida House of Representatives: Adkins Ahern Albritton Baxley Bileca Boyd Broxson Coley Combee Crisafulli Cummings Davis J. Diaz M. Diaz, Jr. Eagle Fitzenhagen Fresen Gaetz Grant Holder Hudson Ingram La Rosa Magar McBurney Metz Moraitis, Jr. Nelson Passidomo Patronis Perry Pigman Pilon Porter Precourt Raburn Raulerson Renuart Roberson Rodrigues Rooney Schenck Smith Spano Steube Stone Tobia Trujillo Weatherford Wood Workman Young 4

5 ACU Conservatives ACU Conservatives are those members of the Florida Legislature who scored 80 percent or higher on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Florida Senate: Altman Bean Benacquisto Bradley Brandes Flores Gaetz Galvano Garcia Gardiner Grimsley Hays Hukill Lee Legg Negron Richter Simmons Simpson Stargel Thrasher Florida House of Representatives: Artiles Brodeur Caldwell Corcoran Gonzalez Goodson Hager Harrell Hood, Jr. Hooper Hutson Mayfield McKeel Nunez O Toole Oliva Peters Ray Santiago Van Zant True Liberals of the Sunshine State True Liberals of the Sunshine State are those members of the Florida Legislature who scored 0 percent on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Florida Senate: Clemens Florida House of Representatives: Berman Bracy Campbell Castor Dentel Clarke-Reed Cruz Danish Fullwood Gibbons M. Jones S. Jones Lee, Jr. McGhee Pafford Powell Pritchett Rehwinkel Vasilinda Richardson Rodriguez Rogers Saunders Schwartz Slosberg Stafford Stewart Taylor Thurston, Jr. Torres, Jr. Watson 5

6 Florida House Vote Descriptions 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE FLORIDA 1. HB 867 Education Reform. This bill increases parental control over troubled schools that are implementing improvements. It requires notification to parents of teachers with unsatisfactory performance ratings and parental consent to have a student assigned to those teachers. ACU supports parental rights and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on April 4, 2013 by a vote of HB 655 Employer Mandates. This bill prohibits local government from requiring an employer to provide employment benefits beyond that required by state and federal law and prohibits Davis-Bacon style wage requirements for local contracts. ACU supports these free market reforms and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on April 4, 2013 by a vote of HB 7009 Charter Schools. This bill creates more uniform standards for charter school contracts that expand the opportunity for students to participate. ACU supports more school choice and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 2, 2013 by a vote of SB 1792 Medical Malpractice Reform. This bill clarifies how expert witnesses are used in medical malpractice cases and allows subsequent doctors for a plaintiff who may be deposed to retain an attorney. ACU supports medical malpractice reform and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 1, 2013 by a vote of HB 7015 Tort Reform. This bill sets new standards for expert witness testimony using the Daubert Standard which sets basic criteria for qualifying an expert witness. ACU supports tort reform and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on April 26, 2013 by a vote of HB 569 Campaign Finance Law. This bill significantly increases contribution limits for statewide, legislative and county offices while greatly increasing campaign finance reporting requirements. ACU supports reform of very low contribution limits that limit free speech and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on March 22, 2013 by a vote of HB 4001 Renewable Fuel Standard. This bill repeals Florida s renewable fuel standard mandating gasoline be blended with Ethanol. ACU opposes mandates that pick winners and losers in the energy marketplace and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 12, 2013 by a vote of HB 7011 Pension Reform. This bill reforms the Florida Retirement System for government employees that requires new enrollees participate in a defined contribution plan while grandfathering in current employees who want to remain in the current defined benefit system. ACU supports pension reforms that lessen the burden on future taxpayers and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 22, 2013 by a vote of HB 7007 Taxes. This bill expands the sales tax exemption for machinery and equipment from new or expanding businesses to all businesses. ACU supports pro-growth tax relief and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 1, 2013 by a vote of

7 FLORIDA 2013 HOUSE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Representative Name Party ADKINS R % AHERN R % ALBRITTON R % Antone D % ARTILES R X % BAXLEY R % Berman D % BESHEARS R % BILECA R % BOYD R % Bracy D % BRODEUR R X % BROXSON R % CALDWELL R X % Campbell D % Castor Dentel D X % Clarke-Reed D % Clelland D % COLEY R % COMBEE R % CORCORAN R X % CRISAFULLI R % Cruz D % CUMMINGS R % Danish D % DAVIS R % DIAZ, F. R % DIAZ, M. R % Dudley D % EAGLE R % Edwards D - X % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence 7

8 FLORIDA 2013 HOUSE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Representative Name Party FASANO R % FITZENHAGEN R % FRESEN R % Fullwood D % GAETZ R % Gibbons D % GONZALEZ R X % GOODSON R X % GRANT R % HAGER R X X % HARRELL R X + X % HILL* R X X X X X X X X X 0 0 N/A HOLDER R % HOOD, JR. R + X % HOOPER R % HUDSON R % HUTSON R % INGRAM R % Jones, M. D % Jones, S. D % Kerner D X % LA ROSA R % Lee, Jr. D % MAGAR R % MAYFIELD R % MCBURNEY R % McGhee D % MCKEEL R X % METZ R % MORAITIS, JR. R % Moskowitz D % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence *Representative did not cast enough votes in this session to be rated. 8

9 FLORIDA 2013 HOUSE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Representative Name Party NELSON R % NUNEZ R % OLIVA R X % O'TOOLE R X % Pafford D % PASSIDOMO R % PATRONIS R % PERRY R % PETERS R % PIGMAN R % PILON R % PORTER R % Powell D % PRECOURT R % Pritchett D % RABURN R % Rader D X X X % Rangel D % RASCHEIN R % RAULERSON R % RAY R % Reed D % Rehwinkel Vasilinda D % RENUART R % Richardson D % ROBERSON R % RODRIGUES R % Rodriguez D % Rogers D X % ROONEY R % Rouson D % SANTIAGO R % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence 9

10 FLORIDA 2013 HOUSE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Representative Name Party Saunders D X % SCHENCK R % Schwartz D X - - X % Slosberg D % SMITH R % SPANO R % Stafford D - - X % Stark D % STEUBE R % Stewart D % STONE R % Taylor D X % Thurston. Jr. D % TOBIA R % Torres, Jr. D % TRUJILLO R % VAN ZANT R X + X % Waldman D % Watson, B. D % Watson, C. D % WEATHERFORD R % Williams D X % WOOD R % WORKMAN R % YOUNG R % Zimmerman D % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence 10

11 Florida Senate Vote Descriptions 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE FLORIDA 1. HB 867 Education Reform. This bill increases parental control over troubled schools that are implementing improvements. It requires notification to parents of teachers with unsatisfactory performance ratings and parental consent to have a student assigned to those teachers. ACU supports parental rights and supported this bill. The bill was defeated in the Senate on April 30, 2013 by a vote of HB 655 Employer Mandates. This bill prohibits local government from requiring an employer to provide employment benefits beyond that required by state and federal law and also prohibits Davis-Bacon style wage requirements for local contracts. ACU supports these free market reforms and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 26, 2013 by a vote of HB 7009 Charter Schools. This bill creates more uniform standards for charter school contracts that expand the opportunity for students to participate. ACU supports more school choice and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on May 1, 2013 by a vote of SB 1792 Medical Malpractice Reform. This bill clarifies how expert witnesses are used in medical malpractice cases and allows subsequent doctors for a plaintiff who may be deposed to retain an attorney. ACU supports medical malpractice reform and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 11, 2013 by a vote of HB 7015 Tort Reform. This bill sets new standards for expert witness testimony using the Daubert Standard which sets basic criteria for qualifying an expert witness. ACU supports tort reform and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 26, 2013 by a vote of HB 569 Campaign Finance Law. This bill significantly increases contribution limits for statewide, legislative and county offices while greatly increasing campaign finance reporting requirements. ACU supports reform of very low contribution limits that limit free speech and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 24, 2013 by a vote of HB 4001 Renewable Fuel Standard. This bill repeals Florida s renewable fuel standard mandating that gasoline be blended with Ethanol. ACU opposes mandates that pick winners and losers in the energy marketplace and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 24, 2013 by a vote of HB 7011 Pension Reform. This bill reforms the Florida Retirement System for government employees that requires new enrollees participate in a defined contribution plan while grandfathering in current employees who want to remain in the current defined benefit system. ACU supports pension reforms that lessen the burden on future taxpayers and supported this bill. The Senate defeated the bill on April 30, 2013 by a vote of

12 9. HB 7007 Taxes. This bill expands the sales tax exemption for machinery and equipment from new or expanding businesses to all businesses. ACU supports pro-growth tax relief and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on May 1, 2013 by a vote of SB 306 Sports Subsidies. This bill would have allowed a local hotel tax increase for renovations for sports stadiums. ACU opposes tax increases for government subsidies and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 29, 2013 by a vote of

13 FLORIDA 2013 SENATE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 SB 306 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Senator Name Party Abruzzo D - - X X % ALTMAN R E % BEAN R % BENACQUISTO R % BRADLEY R % BRANDES R % Braynon D % Bullard D - E - - E E E % Clemens D X % DEAN R % DETERT R % DIAZ DE LA PORTILLA R % EVERS R % FLORES R % GAETZ R + + X % GALVANO R % GARCIA R X % GARDINER R % Gibson D % GRIMSLEY R % HAYS R X % HUKILL R % Joyner D % LATVALA R % LEE R % LEGG R X % Margolis D % Montford D % NEGRON R + E X % RICHTER R % Ring D % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence 13

14 FLORIDA 2013 SENATE VOTES HB 867 HB 655 HB 7009 SB 1792 HB 7015 HB 569 HB 4001 HB 7011 HB 7007 SB 306 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Senator Name Party Sachs D % SIMMONS R % SIMPSON R % Smith D % Sobel D % Soto D % STARGEL R % Thompson D % THRASHER R % + in favor of the ACU position; - in opposition to the ACU position; (+) announcement in favor of the ACU position; (-) announcement in opposition to the ACU position; X did not vote; I Ineligible to vote; E Excused absence 14

15 2013

16 The American Conservative Union The American Conservative Union (ACU) is America s oldest and largest grassroots conservative organization. Founded in 1964, ACU represents the views of Americans who are concerned with economic growth through lower taxes and reduced government spending and the issues of liberty, personal responsibility, traditional values, and national security. As America s conservative voice, ACU is the leading entity in providing conservative positions on issues to Congress, White House Administration Officials, State Governments, the media, political candidates and the public. The ACU s marquee initiatives include the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and the annual Ratings of Congress guide. Under the leadership of ACU Chairman Al Cardenas, the organization remains the standard bearer of conservatism in America. Chairman Cardenas is dedicated to growing the national conservative movement through the expansion of ACU programs, unprecedented outreach and advocacy especially to young, emerging activists and an extended reach into local and state issues. Among these inaugural efforts are the expansion of conservative rating to State Legislatures and a first-ever series of regional CPAC s in states across the country, building on the legacy of the annual national CPAC event in our Nation s Capital. For more information on the American Conservative Union, please visit our website at Contact Us 1331 H Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC Phone: (202) conservative.org