The Associated Industry of Florida’s (AIF) new report card paints a mixed picture for Palm Beach County legislators: there were a few sunny moments, but no need for sunblock.
AIF is one of the most influential business groups in the state, and a large part of that influence comes from the extensive data it tracks on legislation, both good and bad, and who votes for what.
Many business advocacy groups and PACS, like BizPac of PBC, of which I am the President, consider AIF scoring when deciding who to endorse and donate to in legislative races.
Associated Industries of Florida has issued its 2025 report cards of the voting records of Florida legislators on key business issues. The figures represent the percentage of votes that were in support of business issues. This tells us whether the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation members voted to HELP or HURT business.
These 2025 scores are fairly pathetic. Florida has a national reputation for being friendly to business and that means the legislature should create an environment across the state to help make business prosper. But the voting records of some of these legislators are harmful to business, a far cry from their promises at campaign time.
~ John. R. Smith, Chairman, BizPac of Palm Beach County
The worst-rated Democrat is Rep.Berman, and the worst-ranked Republican is Rep.Weinberger. Weinberger has a lower score than three Democrats, which rarely happens to a Republican.
A serious attempt was made this session to roll back Tort Reform, but it never made it past Gov. DeSantis. Every business group in the state opposed the gutting of our Tort Reform Laws, and every member of our legislative delegation should have, too.
My colleague Tracy Caruso wrote about the attempted hijacking of our prosperity by ambulance-chasing trial lawyers in House Bill 1551: Attorneys Gain, Floridians Lose
Speaking of one Caruso brings another Caruso to mind. Rep. Mike Caruso, R-West Palm Beach, was given a Business Champion award from AIF for his courage and steadfastness in fighting against our legislature’s leftward anti-business drift on multiple fronts.
Don’t let the legislators fool you or talk their way out of what they did. If AIF gave them a zero on tort reform, they were willing to have property, vehicle, and medical insurance costs go up for all Floridians on behalf of ambulance-chasing, billboard advertising lawyers.
Like most of this last legislative session, the tort fight was ugly. Still, thanks to Gov. DeSantis and some brave legislators, we the people held off those legislators who would wreck Florida’s prosperity for political or personal gain.
There isn’t any gray area. Legislators are either with Floridians or with the trial lawyers.
One can’t be for both.
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