Peter Schorsch
Former State Sen. Paula Dockery, who served 16 years in the Florida Legislature, is joining the board of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Term limited from running again for the State Senate in 2012, Dockery has since launched a new career as a political columnist. Her syndicated columns appear in more than 20 newspapers across Florida.
“I’ve long admired what the League does for our political process, and I feel that the League stands for many of the things that I believe in,” said the Lakeland Republican who served as House Majority Whip, Environmental Protection chair and General Government Appropriations chair.
Dockery noted her support for the League’s work in reducing gerrymandering, protecting voting rights, advocacy for environmental protection, and commitment to transparency and accountability for government.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Paula’s political experience and willingness to fight for Florida’s environment, and so many other issues, on the League’s state board,” LWVF President Deirdre Macnab said. “She will help direct the future course of the League’s work and provide a knowledgeable and politically seasoned voice on our board.”
In the Senate, Dockery was Senate Majority Whip from 2003 to 2004 and chair of the Criminal Justice Committee. While Senate Environmental Protection Committee chair she brought diverse groups together in crafting the Water Sustainability Act, earning her bipartisan efforts recognition by Governing Magazine, which in 2005 named her one of it’s Public Officials of the Year.
Dockery joins other former elected officials on the League board including, former Republican Majority Leader Alex Villalobos, Democratic former U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder and state Rep. Annie Betancourt.
