Dear Friends,
Thank you to all of you that have taken the time to call, write and e-mail our office over the past few weeks as we continue fighting to protect faith, family, freedom, opportunity and life itself at our state capitol.
We have reached the halfway mark of the 2022 Legislative Session and we are very excited about the good work being done on behalf of the people of the state of Florida. Will we get everything we want; just the way we want it? No. This process is a conversation that happens between 22 million people in our state who come from many different backgrounds and many different life experiences. Sometimes it can be messy, but a better system of government has yet to be found. Many have tried and many have failed. We should be very grateful that we live in constitutional republic where the rights of individuals are honored and protected.
The most important basic right, the right to life, has been under attack for decades in this country. 63 million lives (and counting) have been lost since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Since then, state legislatures have been battling this disastrous ruling and for the first time, we are beginning to see a glimmer of hope that we can score some major victories on behalf of unborn life. HB 5/SB 146 is styled after Mississippi bill currently being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Our bill in Florida completely prohibits abortions after 15 weeks and tightens up reporter requirements for those performed before that. This bill is going to save thousands of precious babies from destruction.
We are happy to report that Florida looks to be in a strong financial position. The initial state budget bills have been proposed by the House and Senate and are available for review as HB 5001 and SB 2500. The budget conference process to figure out the differences between will begin soon but we expect a smooth path forward and that the final number will be in between $105-$108 billion. This is a record number for Florida and it is all thanks to you, the constituent. The thing that some people do not realize is that we do not have any money in Tallahassee, it is all money that belongs to you that you send up here so that we can do some worthwhile things. We just figure out how to appropriate those dollars so that we are getting the best return on your investment. Thank you for continuing to make Florida the best place to live, work and raise and family.
By the time this column reaches you, the Session should almost be concluded and we are looking forward to sharing more in the months that follow. Please continue to talk to us, engage with us, and most of all pray for us as we conclude our work for the year.
Onward & Upward,
Senator Dennis Baxley
