Legislative Action Days Recap

Walker leads officials as they share their united voices

by Kelli Gemmer Florida League of Cities

Municipal officials were eager to bring the power of local voices to the state capital this year, and it showed in their sheer numbers. After a virtual event in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Florida League of Cities’ (FLC’s) Legislative Action Days returned in person this year with record attendance. More than 250 municipal officials convened in Tallahassee February 8-9, which was the highest attendance in the event’s history.

FLC President Phillip Walker said, “For 100 years, the League has advocated for local self-government. I can think of no better way to honor our centennial anniversary than to bring our united voices to the state Capitol in record numbers to advocate for our communities.”

FLC First Vice President Jolien Caraballo leads the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Fraser

Legislative Action Days is an opportunity for municipal officials across the state to come together during the legislative session and advocate for legislative issues impacting cities. The event provides opportunities for city leaders to meet with lawmakers about local impacts and network with other elected officials.

Fifth-time attendee Jen Ahearn-Koch, Commissioner for the City of Sarasota, said, “It’s a really important effort, not only for us to build those relationships at the state level but also for our citizens at home to understand that they, too, are impacted by the Legislature.”

The League’s legislative team shares updates on major bills affecting cities. From left: Director of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook, Deputy General Counsel/Legislative Counsel David Cruz, Senior Legislative Advocate Jeff Branch, Deputy General Counsel Rebecca O’Hara, Senior Legislative Advocate Amber Hughes and Legislative Advocate Tara Taggart.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Fraser

The two-day event kicked off with a legislative briefing from the FLC lobbying team about major bills and messages that needed to be shared with legislators. Following the briefing, Walker recognized the FLC Legislative Policy Committee Chairs for their dedication and efforts in the legislative process. These committees meet regularly during session to bolster the League’s advocacy efforts.

Members headed to the Capitol to advocate for Home Rule by meeting with legislators, discussing priority issues and testifying in committees to share real-world examples of local impacts from proposed legislation. (Watch the video recap at bit.ly/34Y4kLw.)

Through a unified voice, the League’s members and legislative team were able to make a significant difference this legislative session. (See p. 32 for more about the session.)

FLC President Phillip E. Walker welcomes attendees to Legislative Action Days.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Fraser

“Regardless of where you’re from, or what your political ideology is, there’s one thing we all agree on, and that’s supporting local decision-making authority,” said Walker. “Together, we will make a difference, as we know we’re stronger together.”

Kelli Gemmer is the Assistant Editor for the Florida League of Cities.

DEI Training for Cities and Staff

Florida League of Cities (FLC) President Phillip Walker is dedicated to expanding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts for cities during his one-year term. As part of this effort, Walker encourages cities and their staffs to take advantage of the DEI education and training that the Florida League of Cities University (FLCU) provides.

FLCU’s DEI training offerings provide introductory education and facilitation of difficult conversations for city leaders and staff. These customizable programs are designed to address the specific areas of interest for each municipality.

“Our training philosophy is that we don’t aim to create guilt or shame, but rather share new perspectives, backed by historical context and data-driven concepts,” said FLC Ambassador Shwanda Barnette. “We give attendees an opportunity to grapple with difficult terms and topics and apply what’s learned to practical scenarios.”

Scott Paine, Director of Leadership Development and Education for FLCU, said, “It can be tempting simply to avoid talking about how race has played and continues to play a role in the challenges and opportunities people face. But avoiding a difficult conversation doesn’t resolve anything; it just bottles up the tensions and preserves the misunderstandings. FLCU’s training is designed to create context and space that foster opening up to those conversations so that all of us can grow.”

To learn more about available DEI training dates and scheduling opportunities, contact Christen Barton at cbarton@flcities.com.