Dear Friends,

2023 is off to a quick start in the Florida Senate as we focus on preparing for the Legislative Session which begins March 7th. So far, we have completed four weeks of committee meetings and a special session and we have another three to go. There have been, roughly, 300 bills filed in the House and Senate. In previous years, we have seen as many as 4000 filed bills before the end of Session. So, it is a bit surprising how low this number is, but these last three weeks is when the majority of these bills will reach the “filed” status. When that happens, there will be a lot of information to sift through, but a good thing to remember is that less than ten percent of bills actually pass the legislature and lots of bad (and some good) ideas will die off.

Currently, in addition to serving as President Pro Tempore, your Senator sits on the following eight committees. The policy Committees on Agriculture, Community Affairs, Judiciary, Rules and Children, Families and Elder Affairs. The Appropriations Committees on Health and Human Services, Criminal and Civil Justice, and the full Committee on Appropriations. The full Appropriations Committee and the Rules Committee are the largest of the Senate Committees and most, if not all, of bills filed will have to come through one of these two committees. We are very excited to be a part of both of those committees and for the opportunity we have to review, give input, and vote on every piece of legislation that comes through the Florida Senate.

This will be the first time we have served on the Agriculture committee, led by my good friend Senator Jay Collins, and looking forward to accomplishing some great things for our farmers, ranchers and all of those in the Ag community.

The Florida Department of Citrus recently provided an update to our committee on the state of Florida’s Citrus Industry and the challenges they are facing. Regarding the overall state of the industry, during Fiscal Year 2020-2021, Florida’s citrus industry generated nearly $7 billion in revenue, provided over 30,000 jobs, and added close to $3 billion in value to our state’s GDP. Florida is also projected to account for approximately 70% of all domestically produced orange juice. However, Hurricanes Ian and Nicole are estimated to have caused between $385 million and $635 million in total commercial losses. In addition to these losses, producer operations and facilities have experienced significant infrastructure damage. These challenges, combined with other economic factors, have resulted in a projected total decline of 50% of Florida citrus production compared to 2021-2022 season. Last year, the Legislature appropriated $3 million to help ensure citrus nurseries have all the necessary resources to grow unique varieties of citrus that are resistant to citrus greening, one of the most serious plant diseases in the world. Citrus greening continues to be one of the largest hurdles that the industry faces.

Thank you to the constituents of Senate District 13 for letting me serve you and work on these unique challenges with you. We look forward to providing more quick reports from our committees next month.

Onward & Upward,

Senator Dennis Baxley

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