PALM BAY, Fla. (April 12, 2018) – Today, the Florida Chamber of Commerce announced Senator Kathleen Passidomo as the 2018 Most Valuable Legislator (MVL), for her commitment to securing Florida’s future. The announcement and presentation of the MVL was made during the Florida Chamber’s Board of Directors meeting taking place in Palm Bay, Florida.
The Florida Chamber’s Most Valuable Legislator award is the business community’s premier legislative award honoring a single lawmaker for their outstanding legislative leadership and willingness to take a stand for free enterprise.
“Early during the 2018 legislative process, the Florida Chamber encouraged lawmakers to lower the cost of living, lower the cost of doing business and move Florida forward by putting long-solutions ahead of short-term politics,” said MARK WILSON, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber applauds Senator Kathleen Passidomo for her hard work and leadership on behalf of Florida’s families and businesses.”
A small businesswoman, Senator Passidomo has long been a fearless and effective partner in the Florida Chamber’s fight for free enterprise. As the torch bearer of multiple Florida Chamber-backed priorities this session, she attracted bipartisan support for pro-jobs legislation, took well-funded special interests head on for Florida’s future job creators, and successfully sought to keep Florida’s dismal, bottom-five legal climate from getting worse. Florida needs more public servants who wake up every day thinking about how to make Florida more competitive—regardless of the opponent or political consequences.
“I am truly humbled to be recognized by the Florida Chamber of Commerce as their 2018 Most Valuable Legislator,” said SENATOR KATHLEEN PASSIDOMO. “It is an incredible honor to receive this prestigious award. Legislative change doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes hard work, perseverance and collaborative effort. Working together with the Florida Chamber team we have been able to advance policies that will have a lasting positive effect on Florida’s families and our business community.”
Previous recipients of the Florida Chamber’s Most Valuable Legislator award include: House Speaker Steve Crisafulli (2016), House Speaker Will Weatherford (2014), Rep. Larry Metz (2013), House Speaker Dean Cannon (2012), Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff (2011), Sen. John Thrasher (2010), Sen. Garrett Richter (2009), Rep. Dennis Ross (2008), Rep. Stan Mayfield (2007), Rep. Don Brown (2006) and House Speaker Allan Bense (2005).
The Florida Chamber also released its annual publication How They Voted – which provides the grades for all 155 legislators so business leaders can see who voted for or against job creation and economic growth.
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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.