Rep. Keith Truenow reflects on legislative session, upcoming Senate run

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Rep. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, spoke with Florida’s Voice following the legislative session and discussed his future plans.

Truenow was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2020 and is running for Florida Senate in the upcoming election.

This session, Truenow sponsored legislation addressing various issues including risk retention groups, tax collectors, and mitigation. He co-sponsored hot topic bills such as the social media bill, harassment of first responders bill, retail theft bill, and more.

The lawmaker said session went “very well” and lawmakers worked on a “broad range of issues” that will “help Floridians” and “keep things moving in the right direction.”

“Great session, in the fact that we got a lot of things done, from protecting kids from social media, you name it, and we’re in a great environment, the tax cuts that we have, that’ll help Floridians in the future,” Truenow explained.

Florida’s Voice previously reported as part of the 2024-2025 state budget, lawmakers passed a $1.5 billion tax relief package.

Truenow served as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, which advanced legislation cracking down on retail theft and “porch pirates.”

“That bill was important, because as commerce moves to more online and delivered at your home, and those items get dropped off on your porch, and people are taking advantage of other people’s goodwill,” Truenow explained.

Truenow said co-sponsoring the legislation was “the right thing to do.”

“I think that we needed to make a few adjustments in that law to let people know – we’re putting on notice that if you do this, you will have consequences for your actions,” Truenow said.

Protecting land

Truenow said in 2020, lawmakers introduced the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act which “created provisions to preserve lands in Florida.”

The state investment “helps purchase priority conservation lands to expand existing state parks, state forests and wildlife management areas,” according to the website.

Truenow said over the last four years, $2 billion of funding has been allocated for this project.

“I think that is incredible,” Truenow said. “I think that it goes to a lot of different issues that it’s going to cover. But the main issue for me is, I think that farmers are the most endangered species and I think that we did a lot to save farmers in the state of Florida.”

Truenow, with his own background in farming, stressed the importance of the farming community. He said we are “just a few meals away from having a big problem in the U.S. or even in Florida.”

“I think the increasing pressures to develop and do other things as the as the state grows, we have to have an understanding of how we’re gonna manage our farming community and make sure that we have the right stuff to keep us alive and compete in the world environment,” Truenow said.

Truenow said this legislation is a “very big tool,” and will keep the state “going in the right direction.”

Appropriations

Truenow requested funding for a variety of projects in his district which are pending the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

One of those projects is for the Lake-Sumter State College Technology Innovation Center.

“In the last few years, we’ve done a lot for Lake Tech College and Lake-Sumter State College, so we’re continuing to move that needle and to bring some funds in to establish a better environment and an understanding for young people and how they can pursue their career paths,” Truenow explained.

He also requested funding for Beacon College to help with tuition assistance for high-need students with learning and attention issues.

“Beacon College does a great job with with children with disabilities,” Truenow said.

Truenow said he requested funding for water infrastructure projects in his district. For a full list of appropriation requests, click here.

Senate run

Looking ahead, Truenow is running for the Florida Senate district 13 seat.

Although becoming a lawmaker wasn’t something he had anticipated, Truenow shared his motivation behind the move.

“This journey that I’ve been on as a legislator hasn’t ever been one that I dreamed that I would do in my lifetime, but what’s drawn me to be a legislator is, just the fact that my kids and my grandkids and the future generations are depending on what decisions and things we do today,” Truenow said.

Truenow said he is “blessed” to have the time to devote to being in the legislature.

He said he feels moving to the Senate would be a “great opportunity.”

“There aren’t very many legislators who are farmers, and Senator Albritton and myself will be the two farmers in the Florida Senate if the people of District 13 elect me, and I will make them proud,” Truenow said.