Florida Government Advocacy

Activities in Tallahassee and at local levels of government affect all companies doing business in the state of Florida. You need a team of experienced government advocates on your side that is committed to helping you navigate through often complex governmental regulations and procedures, use government to the advantage of your business, strategize on how best to improve your company's standing and prevent the adoption of laws or regulations that could be detrimental to your business.

A Long History Advocating for Clients 

Our team of public policy advisors and lawyers applies its depth of experience, relationships and substantive political and legal know-how to advocate on your behalf to resolve any issues of concern that relate to Florida government.

Members of the firm's Florida Government Advocacy Team (FGAT) are dedicated to assist you by:

• monitoring legislative activity
• drafting bills or amendments
• seeking sponsors of bills or amendments
• advocating for appropriations
• testifying before legislative committees
• supporting legislation that is favorable to your company
• opposing legislation that could be harmful to your business

Florida Leadership

Our office includes lawyers and senior professionals who have served in elected and appointed positions in Florida state government.

• Bob Martinez served as governor of the state of Florida, drug czar under President George H.W. Bush and mayor of Tampa.  
• Jerome Hoffman is a former general counsel of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and former chief of the antitrust section of the Florida Attorney General's Office.
• Nate Adams served as a deputy general counsel to Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Department of Education.
• Mia McKown served as general counsel to the Florida Department of Citrus and was a hearing officer for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
• Kimberly Case served as director of legislative affairs for Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as director of legislative affairs for Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and Florida's Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.
• Beth Vecchioli served as former deputy insurance commissioner of Florida and as a senior-level manager and regulator at the Florida Department of Insurance/Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for more than 10 years.

Recent Engagements

2021

Insurance

• Successfully supported legislation regarding property insurance to reduce the length of time an insured has to file a claim, to create prohibited practices for adjusters, and to strengthen the rates and eligibility requirements for Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
• Successfully supported legislation that will create a regulatory framework for allowing car-sharing platforms
• Successfully lobbied to amend a bill to prevent the termination of the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan in 2026
• Successfully opposed data privacy legislation that would impose expensive requirements on businesses and subject them to new private causes of action

General

• Successfully advocated for state funding for mental health and substance abuse programs
• Successfully advocated for a bill that preserved public notice for Florida newspapers while expanding online opportunities for public notice

2019

General

• Successfully opposed legislation that would jeopardize Florida businesses' trade secret proprietary information in the hands of government
• Successfully opposed legislation that would have jeopardized the water, wastewater and surface water in portions of Broward County
• Successfully opposed legislation that would have prevented much needed transportation improvements in Osceola County
• Successfully opposed legislation that would have prevented much needed public transit improvements in Hillsborough County
• Assisted a nonprofit press association with successfully blocking legislation that would have eliminated public notice requirements in Florida newspapers

Appropriations

• Successfully protected more than $300 million in funding for Florida's hospitals that provide critical care to vulnerable populations
• Successfully secured and protected more than $62 million in funding for Florida's three academic cancer centers
• Successfully secured $11.25 million in funding for a high-tech innovation research and manufacturing facility in Osceola County
• Successfully secured $500,000 in funding to modernize the information technology system for a major regional transit authority
• Successfully secured $150,000 for a city fire department to purchase a modern incident command vehicle
• Successfully secured $3.5 million in recurring funds for a state-affiliated educational foundation to assist minorities in pursuing advanced degrees

Insurance

• Successfully passed legislation that reforms Florida's property insurance laws relating to assignment of post-loss benefits and entitlement to attorney's fees by third-party assignees
• Successfully passed legislation that reforms the assessment base for insolvencies attributed to long-term care policies
• Successfully passed legislation related to the placement of property insurance risks in the non-admitted market without meaningless regulatory hurdles
• Successfully opposed legislation prohibiting the use of genetic information in the medical records during the rating and underwriting of life insurance

Healthcare

• Successfully opposed legislation that would have increased the exposure for lawsuits and money damages against healthcare providers
• Successfully narrowed the use of patients' private medical information by the state in lawsuits against legitimate Florida businesses
• Successfully prevented adverse legislation affecting the health insurance program insuring state employees
• Successfully prevented onerous legislation governing the merger and acquisition of healthcare practices and facilities

Political and Public Participation

The Florida Government Advocacy Team has the extensive experience necessary to effectively assist and advise clients on a political issues affecting Florida. FGAT members are active in the political process. Our support for statewide candidates, as well as candidates for the Florida Legislature, enables FGAT to maximize opportunities for clients.

We also provide advice and counsel to clients on constitutional amendments, public policy issues and local ballot referendums. Our Holland & Knight election lawyers are well-placed to assist clients in forming political campaign committees and stand ready to answer and advise on Florida's campaign finance laws.

Members of FGAT have successfully campaigned for statewide and local office. Other members of our team have worked on numerous campaigns and the statewide political parties, providing political strategy and implementation for candidates.

Our Reach Goes Beyond the Legislature

The support you receive from Holland & Knight's Florida Government Advocacy Team is not limited to representation before the Florida Legislature — we also have a long-standing and extensive executive branch lobbying and state administrative law practice.

Our administrative law practice includes representing clients before the governor, the Florida Cabinet and all state agencies. We cover the spectrum of environmental regulatory issues involving air, water, wetlands, energy, solid waste, listed species and sustainable development. Our team takes an active role in policy development, agency rulemaking, permitting, compliance and enforcement proceedings, business and professional licensing, ratemaking and administrative litigation on behalf of our clients and partners.

Holland & Knight is strategically positioned to provide you and your company with a wide range of services to advance your goals and vision. We have established strong working relationships with Florida officials at the state and local level.