Legislation that Provides Additional Pathways to Prepare Students to Become Career-Ready

Workforce Education (House Bill 7071)

My strong belief is that college isn’t for everyone and accumulating debt for post-secondary education for a degree that one may lose interest in or never obtain a job to utilize the degree doesn’t make sense. Having said that, I am not discrediting college, but I want to emphasize the need for a skilled workforce and help remove the stigma that one MUST go to college! Some of the highlights of this bill are as follows; HB 7071 provides students flexibility to pursue advanced career pathways. The bill requires the Department of Education to increase public awareness of apprenticeship and pre apprenticeship opportunities, eliminates industry certifications that are not aligned to industry needs, establishes formal career dual enrollment agreements between high schools and career centers and allows students with an industry certification to earn two mathematics credits for Algebra I. The bill also allows a computer science credit to substitute for a mathematics or science credit and requires a biennial review of career education courses for alignment with high school graduation requirements and establishes a “College and Career Decision Day” to recognize high school seniors for their postsecondary education and career plans.
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Legislation that Streamlines  Access for Schools and Parents Sharing Immunization Records

Immunization Registry (House Bill 213)

This important bill updated the current Florida Shots database, allowing HIPAA compliant electronic record keeping to be accessible to specific school employees and health care providers for the purpose of school registration. The opt-out was also updated to completely remove any identifying information of those individuals who so choose not to participate.  Streamlining the process for parents, healthcare providers and school administration should decrease time, frustration and cost for all individuals involved.
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Legislation that Puts Patients Over Profit

Prescription Drug Utilization Management (House Bill 559)

In regards to Health Care Reform the main Step Therapy bill I had in play didn’t make it in a stand-alone bill, but some of the components were embedded in Senate Bill 7078. Step Therapy or Fail First is a growing issue in which health insurers deny covered, working medications for patients stating that they must try and fail other drugs before the drug they are on will be covered.  Although minor changes were made this session that I am thankful for, it is not enough.  This is dangerous and sometimes fatal for patients and I will continue to work towards a better solution for patients.
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Stroke Centers (House Bill 993)

I was proud to co-sponsor bill that revises the criteria under which a hospital qualifies as a stroke center and adds a new class of stroke centers to the current-law list of stroke centers that the Agency for Health Care Administration is required to maintain and make available on its website and to the Department of Health.
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Legislation that Increases Transparency & Accountability

For the second session I passed a pair of bills off the floor relating to Trade Secrets and Public Records.  This pair of bills gave transparency to state contracts and how tax payer dollars are being spent. Money that belongs to the taxpayers should be spent with an unobstructed view of the taxpayers.  Unfortunately, Senate movement was lacking and was never heard on the floor so will not be sent to the governor.

OGSR/Hurricane and Flood Loss Model Trade Secrets (House Bill 7091)

Removes scheduled repeal of exemption relating to certain information related to trade secrets used to design an insurance hurricane or flood loss model.
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OGSR/Informal Enforcement Actions and Trade Secrets/OFR (House Bill 7097)

Removes scheduled repeal of exemptions from public records requirements for certain informal enforcement actions engaged in & trade secrets held by OFR.
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Legislation that MAKES OUR ROADS SAFER

Wireless Communication While Driving (House Bill 107)

I was proud to co-sponsor the Wireless Communications While Driving bill updating the law to make this a primary offense was one of the first I signed on to.
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Additional Funding to Protects District 34’s Waterways & Springs

Citrus County Kings Bay Restoration Project Phase 2 (House Bill 3441)

Provides $2.5 million for the Citrus County Kings Bay Restoration Project.
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Crystal River Hunter Springs Linear Park (House Bill 3429)

Provides $450,000 for the Crystal River Hunter Springs Linear Park.
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Additional Funding to Improve  District 34’s Infrastructure

Runway 27 Extension (House Bill 4169)

Provides $1 million for the Runway 27 Extension in Hernando County
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Citrus County – CR 491 Road Widening (House Bill 3445)

Provides $13.3 million for the CR 491 Road Widening in Citrus County
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Hernando County Airport Reclamation Facility Expansion (House Bill 4167)

Provides $3 million for the Hernando County Airport Water Reclamation Facility Expansion
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Additional Funding for Education in District 34

Citrus County School District – Project SHINE:  $900,000 (House Bill 3433)

Provides $900,000 for the Project SHINE, a Citrus County School District program.
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Additional Funding for Mental Health Services for District 34

LifeStream Citrus County Central Receiving System (House Bill 3437)

Provides $600,000 for the LifeStream Citrus County Central Receiving System.
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