Florida Chamber of Commerce Unveils 2024 How They Voted, Naming House Speaker Paul Renner as Most Valuable Legislator

Today, the Florida Chamber of Commerce unveiled its 2024 How They Voted publication. A comprehensive review of what passed this legislative session, what didn’t, and what remains unfinished business, How They Voted reveals the Florida Chamber’s 2024 Legislative Report Card, showcasing grades earned by all 160 legislators in the Florida House and Senate based on their votes during the 2024 Legislative Session, and recognizes the Florida Chamber’s Most Valuable Legislator and Distinguished Advocates.

“It’s incredible what gets accomplished for Florida when the Florida Chamber unites the business community like we did again this year and I’d like to thank the members of the Florida Chamber, as well as local chambers of commerce and trade associations who joined with us to make Florida even more competitive,” said Keith Koenig, Chairman of CITY Furniture and Volunteer Chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Advancing the Florida 2030 Blueprint is our focus and, on behalf of the Florida Chamber Board of Directors and our members, I’d like to thank Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for working together to make sure the right things happen in Florida to help local businesses continue to grow and diversify Florida’s economy.”

House Speaker Paul Renner has been named the 2024 Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Most Valuable Legislator, the business community’s premier legislative award, for his leadership role as a steadfast and strategic ally who worked tirelessly to ensure passage of pro-jobs, Chamber-backed legislative priorities. As the leader of the House, Speaker Renner partnered with Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to pass legislation that contained three important Florida Chamber priorities to allow the free market to flourish, including a necessary and timely preemption to ensure local governments do not create a patchwork of inconsistent, and potentially unsafe, heat safety mandates. The Florida Chamber has enjoyed an incredible partnership with Speaker Renner during his tenure of service in the Florida House. Florida is more competitive today because of Speaker Renner’s focus on putting the long term ahead of the short term and prioritizing free enterprise and job creation over special interests.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as the 2024 Most Valuable Legislator by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, an organization that leads and unites the business community in Tallahassee and statewide to ensure the right things continue happening in Florida. The Florida Chamber has been a trusted ally of mine during my time in office and a fierce advocate for free enterprise in the state of Florida. Our work together has led to a more competitive Florida that has in many ways become a national model, and I am grateful for this recognition of our mutual efforts.”

“Partners in our effort to secure Florida’s future like Speaker Paul Renner don’t come along every day. We’ve worked hand in hand on a number of issues, from lawsuit abuse reform to flattening fiscal cliffs to constitutional amendment reform to this year’s necessary effort to create further regulatory certainty for local businesses, which would not have happened without Paul’s leadership,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Speaker Renner’s recognition as the business community’s 2024 Most Valuable Legislator is well deserved and I would like to offer my congratulations and thanks for his leadership in making Florida a better place for all Floridians.”

To access the 2024 How They Voted publication, click here.

DISTINGUISHED ADVOCATE AWARDS:

In addition, the Florida Chamber awarded 14 Legislators the 2024 Distinguished Advocate Award. The Florida Chamber’s Distinguished Advocate Award recognizes lawmakers who ensured consideration of the business community’s legislative priorities and fought tirelessly for the passage of a Chamber-backed policy or a priority piece of pro-jobs legislation. For a full description of the leadership each legislator exhibited to earn the distinction, click here.

2024 Distinguished Advocate Recipients:

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo
Senator Jim Boyd
Senator Colleen Burton
Senator Nick DiCeglie
Senator Erin Grall
Senator Jay Trumbull
Senator Clay Yarborough
Representative Jennifer Canady
Representative Tiffany Esposito
Representative Sam Garrison
Representative Mike Giallombardo
Representative Jason Shoaf
Representative John Temple
Representative Dana Trabulsy

LEGISLATIVE REPORT CARD:

The Florida Chamber’s 2024 Legislative Report Card is an annual opportunity to recognize members of the Florida Legislature who placed making Florida more competitive through support for free enterprise over special interests and attempts to protect the status quo. The Report Card also lets Florida families, small businesses, taxpayers and voters know who voted in favor of private sector job creation and a stronger, more diversified economy.

After tabulating 5,713 votes cast during the 2024 Legislative Session, the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card shows:

• Average GPA for both legislative chambers was 87 percent
• Average Senate GPA was 89 percent
• Average House GPA was 86 percent

GRADES ARE EARNED USING A TRANSPARENT GRADING PROCESS:

• The Florida Chamber’s legislative grading process is both transparent and accountable.
• The Florida Business Agenda (FBA) was announced in concert with the opening of the 2024 Legislative Session.
• The Florida Business Agenda, outlined in the Chamber’s annual Where We Stand publication was delivered to each member of the Florida Legislature in advance of voting.
• Florida Chamber leadership raised awareness of the legislative agenda through meetings with numerous media, legislators and staff in advance of session, during the interim committee weeks, and over the nine-week legislative session.
• Most importantly, prior to each vote graded on the Report Card, a “Your Vote Matters” letter outlining the pro-business position and the Florida Chamber’s intent to score the vote was transmitted to voting members of the legislature.

To see the grades received by each of Florida’s 160 Legislators following the 2024 Legislative Session, click here.