The Florida Chamber of Commerce has named outgoing state Rep. Will Weatherford its 2014 Most Valuable Legislator.
Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, was honored along with 40 members of the state Legislature during a recent meeting in Miami.
The Florida Chamber presents the awards to lawmakers it says fought for pro-jobs initiatives to help make the state’s businesses more competitive while creating more economic opportunities for Florida’s families.
The Most Valuable Legislator award honors a single lawmaker for his or her outstanding legislative leadership and willingness to take a stand for free enterprise. The Distinguished Advocate award recognizes lawmakers who championed key business agenda legislation as determined by the Florida chamber.
“Early during the 2014 legislative process, the Florida chamber encouraged lawmakers to build on efforts to transition Florida to an innovation-based economy by putting the long-term health of Florida ahead of short-term politics,” said Mark Wilson, president and chief executive of the statewide organization, in a release.
During that session, lawmakers passed 17 Florida chamber-backed pro-business, pro-jobs bills, and defeated dozens of what the chamber said were anti-business bills.
Weatherford championed difficult, but necessary, issues like lawsuit abuse reform, pension reform and educational opportunities for students, the chamber said.
Local Distinguished Advocate award recipients included:
• Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, for championing digital learning, career and professional education academies, and school choice legislation as a means to improve the state’s school system.
• Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, for his work on state pension reform efforts, water policy initiatives and wage protection legislation.
• Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, for advocating Florida chamber healthcare priorities, including telemedicine and scope of practice reforms.
