Garrison, Payne selected to serve on House Appropriations Committee

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has released committee assignments for the 2023 Regular Session, including the selection of Sam Garrison (R-Fleming Island) and Bobby Payne (R-Palatka) to the Appropriations Committee.

The announcement, released Tuesday evening, comes the week before lawmakers return to Tallahassee to begin a Special Session on property insurance and interim meetings ahead of Session.

Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, will preside over House Republicans’ first supermajority since the 2014-16 term.

“To the greatest extent possible, committee preferences were accommodated,” Renner said in a memo to members.

The list includes assignments for nine main committees, 23 subcommittees, five joint committees and the Select Committee on Hurricane Resiliency and Recovery.

Renner is now waiting on Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell to name Ranking Members for each committee.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, released Senate committee assignments on Monday.

Lawmakers will converge on the capital city Monday for previously scheduled meetings and the Special Session, which includes property insurance, hurricane relief and a toll credit program. However, the bulk of the work will focus on property insurance.

Perhaps the most important committee in the House process is the Appropriations Committee, led by Chair and Ormond Beach Republican Rep. Tom Leek. Dover Republican Rep. Lawrence McClure will be Vice Chair and Islamorada Republican Rep. Jim Mooney will be Whip. The following lawmakers are also members: Republicans Garrison, Driskell, Thad Altman, Alex Andrade, Melony Bell, Chuck Brannan, Jason Shoaf, Demi Busatta Cabrera, Linda Chaney, Randy Fine, Majority Leader Michael Grant, Tommy Gregory, Joe Harding, Fred Hawkins, Ralph Massullo, Bobby Payne, Speaker-designate Daniel Perez, Bob Rommel, Michelle Salzman, Cyndi Stevenson and Josie Tomkow and Democrats Christine Hunschofsky, Christopher Benjamin, Dotie Joseph, David Silvers, Kelly, Patricia Williams and Mike Gottlieb.

Insurance legislation will likely head through the Commerce Committee, which is led by Rommel, of Naples. He will be joined by Vice Chair and Shalimar Republican Rep. Patt Maney and Whip and Sweetwater Republican Rep. David Borrero, plus the following members: Republicans Joseph, Leek, Webster Barnaby, Wyman Duggan, Mike Giallombardo, Chip LaMarca, Lauren Melo, Toby Overdorf, Joel Rudman, Tyler Sirois, Kevin Steele, Chase Tramont and Brad Yeager and Democrats Bruce Antone, Kristen Arrington, Christopher Benjamin, Kim Daniels and Allison Tant.

The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee of the Commerce Committee will be chaired by Duggan, with Miami Lakes Republican Rep. Tom Fabricio acting as Vice Chair. The panel also includes the following members: Republicans Benjamin, Borrero, Rudman, Hunschoksky, Steele, Stevenson, Tramont, Adam Anderson, Griff Griffits, Rachel Plakon and John Paul Temple and Democrats Gallop Franklin and Marie Woodson.

Renzo Downey covers state government for Florida Politics. After graduating from Northwestern University in 2019, Renzo began his reporting career in the Lone Star State, covering state government for the Austin American-Statesman. Shoot Renzo an email at renzo@floridapolitics.com and follow him on Twitter @RenzoDowney.