Ashley Gantt prioritizes early learning, paid parental leave, helping first responders and veterans

Democratic Miami Rep. Ashley Gantt speaks during Session on Nov. 7, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee. Image via Colin Hackley/Florida Politics.

Miami Rep. Ashley Gantt is now at work on a batch of bills that shares a focus with others she’s carried since first winning office two years ago: helping people who may be forgotten.

“The reason I ran is because I really do believe in representing people who feel like they don’t have a voice,” she said. “I want to have a positive impact.”

To that end, she’s developing proposals for the 2025 Legislative Session to expand preschool subsidies and paid parental leave, provide mental health support to first responders and offer more assistance to veteran-owned business ventures.

The first measure would enable more lower-income families to tap into Florida’s School Readiness program, which provides financial support for child care services and early education.

If passed, the bill would change the income threshold to access the program’s funds from 150% of the federal poverty level or less to 250% of the federal poverty level or less.

It’s a re-run of legislation Gantt filed last Session with Senate support from Miami Gardens Sen. Shevrin Jones, a fellow Democrat and former public school teacher.

Gantt told Florida Politics she’s bringing it back simply because families need the help. And with the minimum wage rising in Florida, fewer families may be able to access it without a change.

“With the increase, it becomes a situation where they’re no longer eligible to receive the assistance that allows them to go to work and have child care,” she said. “Early learning care should be available to all families, but since it isn’t and it’s very much privatized, we have to help working families.”

Gantt isn’t alone in looking at the issue. Miami Sen. Alexis Calatayud and Fort Pierce Rep. Dana Trabulsy, both Republicans, filed bills last Session that would, among other things, have switched the income threshold to 55% or less than the state median income and earmarked $175.4 million in one-time state funds to cover the extra cost.

Another returning bill Gantt previously ran with Democrats Lori Berman, a Boynton Beach Senator, and Dotie Joseph, a North Miami Representative, would guarantee paid parental leave for state employees.

The measure she carried last Session proposed 12 weeks of paid time off for new moms and dads.

A new bill coming takes inspiration from tragedy. In July, Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Lt. Alexander Acosta, a married father, committed suicide following a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Gantt attended Acosta’s funeral. His wife, Carolyn, has since founded the First Alarm Foundation to dispel the stigma around mental health in the first responder community.

Now, Gantt said, they’re collaborating on legislation that would create a program, possibly to start in pilot form, to better fund mental health support services for police, firefighters, paramedics and other essential safety workers.

“Mental health is an issue in the state of Florida, period, but (it’s especially pronounced among) first responders and how much trauma they experience consistently,” she said.

Another new bill takes inspiration from home.

Gantt’s brother, Anthony, is a retired major with the U.S. Marine Corps who now owns and operates a Texas-based hospitality company called At Ease Rentals Corp. The siblings recently discussed how Florida could better back entrepreneurs in Florida’s veteran community.

The result is a proposal Gantt plans to file soon that borrows from ideas already at work in her brother’s state, such as Texas’ Veteran Entrepreneur Program and New Veteran-Owned Business statute, which provides veteran-owned businesses up to five years in fee waivers.

“This will encourage veterans to come to Florida and open a business here,” she said. “It’s an economic driver, a benefit to veterans and a way for us to say, ‘Thank you for your service.’”

Students in Gantt’s district may have a hand in updating Florida Statutes too. She’s bringing back a bill-writing contest she launched last year.

Participants will be asked to identify an issue in the community and submit a one-page solution to address it. To be eligible, the students must be in House District 109, which spans a vertical, inland strip of Miami-Dade between Opa-locka and downtown Miami.

Submissions are due Jan. 10. The winner will fill one of seven bill slots Gantt has for the 2025 Session.

There was a winner last year, but Gantt said the proposal was too similar to legislation another House member filed.

“A good idea is a good idea no matter who has it,” she said. “These are all possible and viable solutions for Floridians, not just those in my district — although I represent the best district — but for people across the entire state.”

The regular 2025 Legislative Session commences March 4 and runs through May 2.