Ryan Nicol
Democratic state Sen. Lauren Book and GOP state Sen. Manny Diaz are among the newly-named legislative committee chairs hailing from South Florida.
Book, who represents Senate District 32, was one of only two Democrats (Tallahassee’s Bill Montford is the other) named to head a committee; she will lead the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs.
That committee focuses on domestic violence, sexual violence and sex trafficking, among other issues.
Book is an outspoken advocate for sexual abuse victims, having been victimized herself. Book also heads Lauren’s Kids, a group aimed at providing support for childhood victims of sexual assault.
Book will serve on the Health Policy, Rules and Appropriations Committees, as well as the Appropriations Subcommittees on Education and Health and Human Services. She also nabbed a spot on the Joint Legislative Budget Commission.
Diaz, meanwhile, will chair the Education Committee, and will serve as vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. Diaz has a graduate degree in educational leadership and made education his focus while serving in the House.
The incoming legislator from Senate District 36 also was placed on the Health Policy and Ethics and Elections Committees, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, and the Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining.
Anitere Flores of Senate District 39 was the only other South Florida state Senator to earn a chair spot.
She’ll be heading the Community Affairs Committee, along with seats on the Criminal Justice, Rules and Appropriations Committees. Flores will also serve on the Appropriations Subcommittees on Education and Health and Human Services.
The remaining South Florida state Senators, along with their upcoming committee assignments, are listed below:
Kevin Rader, Senate District 29 — vice chair of the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, member of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee, Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, and Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.
Bobby Powell, Senate District 30 — vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, member of the Ethics and Elections Committee, Finance and Tax Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight.
Lori Berman, Senate District 31 — vice chair of the Health Policy Committee, member of the Education Committee, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.
Perry Thurston, Senate District 33 — vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, member of the Banking and Insurance Committee, Rules Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining
Gary Farmer, Senate District 34 — vice chair of the Community Affairs Committee, member of the Innovation, Industry, and Technology Committee, Appropriations Subcommittees on Education and Health and Human Services, Rules Committee, and Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight.
Oscar Braynon, Senate District 35 — vice chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee, member of the Innovation, Industry, and Technology Committee, Rules Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Joint Legislative Budget Commission.
Jose Javier Rodriguez, Senate District 37 — vice chair of the Judiciary Committee, member of the Ethics and Elections Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, and Rules Committee.
Jason Pizzo, Senate District 38 — member of the Criminal Justice Committee, Community Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Finance and Tax Committee, and Military and Veterans Affairs and Space Committee.
Annette Taddeo, Senate District 40 — member of the Banking and Insurance Committee, Infrastructure and Security Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice, and Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development.
The 2019 Legislative Session begins March 5.
