Representative Mike Caruso at June Lunch – Grace Templeton Receives AR Scholarship

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Our June lunch featured a session review from District 87 Representative Mike Caruso.

This year’s legislative session moved the ball on the Conservative Agenda in a big way, passing many core issues with party line votes. Thanks to a unified Republican super majority, we now have an expanded voucher program, constitutional carry, illegal immigration restrictions, limits on investing in companies that are pushing ESG, $700M for affordable housing, improvements to election integrity, and a 6 week abortion ban.

Rep. Caruso spoke of the long workdays churning out this product under the strong leadership of Speaker Paul Renner who used to command a battleship while in the Navy. The key task, passing the $117B budget, provides funding for our priorities yet still finds room to add to reserves. Fiscally responsible, it is 1/3 the size of the New York budget with 2 million less residents. Some of the bills that Mike personally drove or were especially significant included:

• HB269 “Public Nuisances” – increases penalties for anti-semitic actions such as projecting swastikas on the sides of buildings. The Governor (with Mike in attendance) signed this one in Israel and it passed both houses unanimously.
• HB295 “Substance Abuse Service Providers” – limits the use of controlled substances by rehab facilities
• HB783 “Opioid Abatement” – Using money from the opioid settlement to set up an advisory council to regulate opioid use in the state
• HB1087 “Child Support” – brings state law into synch with the federal equivalent
• HB543 “Public Safety” – removes the requirement for a concealed carry permit (Constitutional Carry)
• SB102 “Live Local Act” – Affordable Housing – use $750M of Sadowski fund
• HB1 “Education” – Significantly increases the availability of vouchers for alternative schooling
• HB1069 “Education” – extends ban on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender to eighth grade (from 3rd)

Following Representative Caruso, Club Scholarship Chairman Bette Anne Starkey presented this year’s Anne Roberts Scholarship to Grace Templeton. In her remarks, Grace relayed her experience being home-schooled from 4th grade through High School and her plans to study English at Southeastern University. Her career goal is to teach English abroad to non native speakers. She is also planning an internship in the area of information assurance, a topic she is pursuing as a minor.

District 94 Representative Rick Roth was also on hand to talk about his new role as the elected Vice Chairman of the PBC Republican Party. He discussed the “balance” of having two businessmen as Chair/Vice Chair, and two old hands to provide institutional memory in the Secretary and Treasurer seats. Plans include revamping the regional director system and recruiting new members.

Regional Director of Turning Point Action Drienna Sixto was on hand to speak about their upcoming event in West Palm Beach, and three candidates introduced themselves – Andrew Gutman (CD22), Bill Reicherter (HD90), and Gary Warner (Westlake City Council).