Ben Albritton: ‘While Biden plans campaign from basement, Florida lawmakers passed legislation to keep Florida free’
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Florida Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, released a statement on the conclusion of the Florida legislature’s 2023 regular session, highlighting accomplishments and taking a jab at President Joe Biden.
“Last fall, hardworking families across Florida elected Republicans to every level of government by overwhelming margins. We got the message loud and clear,” Albritton said. “Floridians expect our 28-Senator Republican Supermajority to stand up to the Biden economic agenda that is ruining our economy, and the Hollywood social scheme that is trying to shorten childhood and replace the role of parents.”
“Over the last 60-days, Republican Senators delivered meaningful legislation that respects the dignity of work and the rights and responsibilities of parents,” he said in a press release.
Albritton said while Biden “plans another campaign from his basement,” the legislature passed strong legislation to keep Florida “free from masking, testing, and vaccination mandates.”
“Individual rights and liberties are worth fighting for, and we will never allow one-size-fits-all mandates that threaten parental rights and the ability of Floridians to provide for their families,” Albritton said.
“The Florida Legislature has always been a voice for hardworking Floridians across our state who are just trying to provide for their families and don’t have the time or the resources to fight back against unconstitutional mandates. Florida stands strong as a refuge for families and businesses who want to live in freedom,” he said.
Albritton said they passed “common sense tax cuts” that will “increase access to workforce housing, so more hardworking folks can live locally, in the heart of the communities they serve.”
He also noted other successes such as the expansion of school choice and the passage of the six week abortion ban.
Albritton chaired the Senate Select Committee on Resiliency and passed legislation that provides local governments with the necessary tools to respond to natural disasters and makes the Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan Program, a revolving program with funds made available for local governments.
He said the legislature has invested $35 million into the citrus industry and $10 million for the construction of artificial reefs in the Florida Keys to enhance the fishing industry.
Albritton said the 2023-2024 budget provides for critical and historic investments in workforce housing, hurricane recovery and preparedness, and agriculture and the environment, all while providing $2.7 billion in tax relief for Floridians and $10.9 billion to bolster state reserves.
He said lawmakers took critical steps to “protect the innocence of our children” and “stand firm in defense of the right to life.”
“We protected children from harmful gender reassignment surgeries and prohibited these surgeries for our children, we prohibited harmful material from being taught in our schools and further empowered parents to be in the driver’s seat on their children’s education, and we recognized the value of all life by prohibiting abortions after six weeks,” he explained.
Albritton noted historic legislation establishing universal school choice in the state.
“Students and families will now have a full array of educational pathways to choose from as they decide the education best fit for their unique needs,” he said. “We also recognized the dignity of work and the value of our trades as we enacted critical workforce education legislation that will give Florida students the opportunity to enter into a high-paying career immediately after graduating high school.”
