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Florida Chamber Insider
The Florida Business Leaders Guide to What Matters in Florida
Vol. 1 | Issue 1 |
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President's Message
Freedom and free enterprise aren’t free. As we unite together to ensure the right things continue to happen in Florida to grow our economy to the 10th largest in the world by 2030, I want to bring your attention to "the big three" things I am asking Chamber members to engage and unite behind this month:
- Engage in Legislative Session - consider testifying, joining our coalitions or authoring an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor to raise awareness on the business community's legislative priorities.
- Leverage your membership by engaging your leadership team in multiple initiatives, based on their area of focus, amplifying your organization's voice across the Chamber Network.
- Level set your meetings and decisions by visiting www.TheFloridaScorecard.org to see how your county is performing.
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| Policy Update: Advocacy In Action |
The Florida Chamber team, along with Board members, local chambers of commerce and trade association partners continue fighting for Florida job creators and working to advance the Florida Business Agenda. Our 2023 Where We Stand was unveiled on Feb. 21 at the Annual Legislative Fly-In in Tallahassee. Important actions of a few of the bills advanced in committee weeks ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session include:
Florida House Advances Historic Lawsuit Abuse Reform Package: Last Friday, our President and CEO Mark Wilson stood with House Speaker Paul Renner, bill sponsors Representative Tommy Gregory and Representative Tom Fabricio and other business partners after the passage of House Bill 837 out of the Civil Justice Subcommittee. HB 837 was filed following Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner announced their shared priority of passing the “most significant legal reform in modern history” during the 2023 legislative session to “decrease frivolous litigation and prevent predatory practices of trial attorneys.” The final committee stop for the bill is in the Judiciary Committee, where if passed, would then head to the House floor. Passage is by no means guaranteed. We need your support in two ways. 1) Please contact your legislators and encourage them to support this important bill. 2) If you or your company have been personally impacted by lawsuit abuse – whether through higher costs or directly by being sued frivolously – contact Carolyn Johnson at cjohnson@flchamber.com for ways to help the effort by sharing your story. Click HERE to read the Florida Chamber's full press release.
Historic School Choice Expansion Progresses Through House and Senate Committees
Only 53% of current Florida 3rd graders are reading on grade level. In order for today’s learners to become tomorrow’s earners, we must ensure a student’s aptitude and effort, not merely their zip code, determines their opportunity for earned successes. That starts with greater choice in education. Last week, the Florida Chamber-backed HB 1, sponsored by Representative Kaylee Tuck, and SB 202, sponsored by Senator Corey Simon, progressed through the committee process. Both pieces of legislation will expand parental choice eligibility to all K-12 students and empower parents to make the best decision for their child’s education to boost educational outcomes. In the House, a Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) for HB 1 passed out of its second committee stop, the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee. The Senate companion bill, SB 202 passed out of its first stop in the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee. Read more HERE.
Weekly Legislative Update Email - Launching Friday, March 10th
Every Friday during Florida's Legislative Session, please be on the lookout for The Florida Business Agenda Report, a weekly email detailing movement at the Capitol, bills filed, passed and more. |
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| Political Action Update: Recruiting and Electing Pro-Jobs Candidates & Un-Electing Those Who Threaten Florida’s Competitiveness |
The latest Florida voter registration update covering through the end of 2022, now available to members via ChamberHub. The Florida Chamber's Director of Data and Analytics Alex Coelho analyzes and breaks down key findings on the trends and the state of voter registration across Florida in a political edition of Florida by the Numbers, including:
- Nearly three-quarters of a million Floridians (733,603) newly registered to vote in 2022.
- Voters under 50 were most likely to register as NPA, while voters over 50 were most likely to register Republican. Republicans outnumbered Democrats in registrations among all age groups in 2022 however.
- Newly registered Hispanic voters, for the first time in modern Florida history, registered more as Republicans than Democrats in 2022.
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Watch the latest "Florida By The Numbers" Political Edition
for more insights into Florida voter trends. |
| If you have a political question or are considering running for office, please email Alex Coelho at acoelho@flchamber.com. |
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| Moving Florida Forward: Key Initiative Spotlight |
From Bottom Five to Top 12. Despite our otherwise strong business climate, Florida's competitiveness is held back by our current bottom-five legal climate ranking and continued spot on the national "Judicial Hellhole" watchlist. Lawsuit abuse has a real cost on employers, and it also hits Florida families right in the pocketbook, with frivolous litigation essentially taxing Florida households to the tune of $5,065/year in increased costs. Tort costs alone make up 3.6% of the State GDP– the highest percentage in the nation.
The Chamber's Litigation & Regulatory Reform Center through its General Counsels Council is advocating the reforms necessary to meet Florida's competitive potential through 1. Courts and Court Cases, 2. The Legislature and Statutory Improvements, 3. Political Action via Recruiting Better Candidates and 4. Court of Public Opinion.
If you are interested in learning more or engaging in the General Counsels Council, email Frank Walker at fwalker@flchamber.com.
Learn more and engage your teams in other important Chamber coalitions and initiatives including:
Autonomous Florida - Making Florida the Mobility Innovation Capital of the World.
- Sign-up for The Charge, Autonomous Florida's newsletter HERE>
Healthcare Partnership - Advocating for a coordinated, comprehensive approach to healthcare that emphasizes value with outcome measurements.
- Sign-up for The Pulse, the Healthcare Partnership's newsletter HERE>
Infrastructure Coalition - Preparing Florida's Infrastructure for Smarter Growth.
- Sign-up for The Route, the Infrastructure Coalition's newsletter HERE>
Small Business Council - Uniting Florida's Small Businesses for Good.
- Sign up to receive the monthly Small Business Council newsletter HERE>
Florida Chamber Safety Council - Making Florida the Safest, Healthiest and Most Sustainable State in America
- Sign up to learn about safety membership, trainings and free safety tools and resources HERE>
Future of Work Florida Initiative - Uniting Florida's Businesses to Create America's Best Workforce.
- Sign up to learn more HERE>
Florida Equality of Opportunity Initiative- Securing the path to prosperity for all Floridians.
Sign up to learn about opportunity insights HERE> |
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| Chamber Insights: Monthly Poll |
| How concerned are you about the cost of excessive litigation and its impact on your business? |
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Unite With Us:
Upcoming Events |
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Orlando Regional Business Leaders Meeting
Hosted by Bill Yeargin, CEO, Correct Craft
11:30AM-1:30PM
April 18 |
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Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit
April 19
Wyndham
Lake Buena Vista
Complimentary Welcome Reception & Global Dinner
April 18 |
Leadership Conference on Safety, Health + Sustainability
May 11 - 12
Disney's Contemporary Resort |
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Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit
May 25
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville |
Florida Learners to Earners Solution Summit
June 28
Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay |
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Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum
October 23-24
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Orlando |
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| Heard In and Around the Florida Chamber |
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- "This is Where We Stand and united we stand. So, all I would ask ... is to advocate for the Florida Chamber of Commerce because it is the one best organizations in our state to advocate for our people, for my grandkids, for your kids and for your families.” - Keith Koenig, Chairman, City Furniture; Chair Elect, Florida Chamber Board of Directors
- "[Florida is] a business friendly, free-market growing opportunity of a state and that is how we can continue to propel ourselves into the next generation of opportunities." - Rep. Bobby Payne
- "I’d like to thank each member of the business community for what you have done to champion workforce housing to make sure that the legislature understood that this is a dynamic part of the success of Florida’s economy. We hear you and we are working.” - Sen. Alexis Calatayud
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| Slide of the Month: Top 10 Economic Predictions for 2023 |
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| For additional updates or to learn more, contact Florida Chamber Director of Research, Dave Sobush at dsobush@flchamber.com or sign up to receive the monthly Florida By The Numbers email HERE. |
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| Florida By The Numbers: Metrics That Matter |
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TheFloridaScorecard.org Continues to Track Florida's 2030 Progress
Florida is changing, and The Florida Scorecard helps you stay in the know!
**Click the graphic below to learn about some recent updates to our 2030 metrics on TheFloridaScorecard.org.** |
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The Florida Story - By The Numbers
The Florida Chamber Foundation team is ensuring the Florida Story is told the right way by providing game-changing research and regular context and analysis of the metrics that impact Florida's economic journey to the global top 10... |
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FLORIDA WORKFORCE NEEDS STUDY 2.0 – REGISTRATION OPEN FOR REGIONAL EMPLOYER FOCUS GROUPS
JOIN US FOR A FOCUS GROUP IN YOUR REGION!
For every 100 open jobs in Florida, we only have 70 people looking for work. It is vital we match skill sets with job requirements.
As mentioned in last month’s FL 2030 Benchmarks, the Florida Chamber Foundation is currently diving deeper into the research for the Florida Workforce Needs Study 2.0. This 24-month research project will provide insight into how Florida businesses and educational institutions can partner to advance the hard and soft skills needed to narrow Florida’s workforce skills gaps and improve our talent pipeline.
We are happy to announce that registration is now open for employer focus groups across Florida, which are focused on skills-based employment needs that previous research findings identified to have a key role in Florida’s continued economic growth and development:
- Manufacturing/Construction/ Skilled Trades
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Professional Services/Business and Finance
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER FOR A FOCUS GROUP NEAR YOU> |
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| If you are interested in learning more about how the Florida Chamber Foundation is securing Florida's Future, please subscribe to the monthly Benchmarks 2030 newsletter, click here. |
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Making Florida the Safest, Healthiest + Most Sustainable
State in America |
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| The Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet is on a mission to make Florida the safest, healthiest and most sustainable state in America. The Leadership Cabinet Advisory Board is a visionary group of 17 company leaders overseeing the Florida Chamber Safety, Health and Sustainability councils, serving as an incubator of research and education. The monthly Florida EHS Briefing is a newsletter, powered by the Leadership Cabinet, and dedicated to helping Florida job creators and their teams access the latest data, tools, resources and information to excel in these three pillars essential to moving the needle on workplace excellence. |
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| To register for the 2023 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health + Sustainability May 11-12 in Orlando, click HERE>. |
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| If you are interested in learning more about how the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet is working to make Florida safer, healthier and more sustainable, please subscribe to the monthly The Florida EHS Briefing newsletter, click here. |
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| Miami Chamber Advocates on Behalf of South Florida Businesses in Tallahassee |
Members of the Miami Chamber visit the Florida Capital including President & CEO Alfred Sanchez, Board of Directors Chair Roberto Muñoz and Chair-Elect Amy Furness. We look forward to welcoming many local Chambers to Tallahassee for our Advocacy training and throughout Legislative Session.
Over 50 local Chambers visit the Florida Capitol each legislative session and we're fortunate to host them when asked. |
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| Welcoming Our Newest Florida Chamber Members |
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| Florida Chamber member Robert Sandlin, President & CEO of Patriot Transportation, joined Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and Speaker Paul Renner as they announced their shared priority of passing the “most significant legal reform in modern history” during the 2023 legislative session. He shared his industry's experience with Florida’s bottom-5 legal climate. In attendance were Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber and our partners at the Florida Trucking Association, |
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| Florida Chamber Board member Russ Thomas, CEO of Availity, and Chair of the Florida Chamber's Healthcare Partnership provides an update on the state of Healthcare in Florida at the 2023 Legislative Fly-In in Tallahassee. He shared: "I do believe that here in this unique ecosystem of Florida, we are uniquely positioned to drive innovation that can set national standards for what we do." |
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