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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • AS, Funeral Service Program, Miami-Dade Community College, 1975
  • BA, Sociology/Psychology, Florida State University, 1974
  • AA, Central Florida Community College, 1972

Professional Experience

  • AS, Funeral Service Program, Miami-Dade Community College, 1975
  • BA, Sociology/Psychology, Florida State University, 1974
  • AA, Central Florida Community College, 1972
  • Principal Owner, Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, present

Political Experience

  • AS, Funeral Service Program, Miami-Dade Community College, 1975
  • BA, Sociology/Psychology, Florida State University, 1974
  • AA, Central Florida Community College, 1972
  • Principal Owner, Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, present
  • Senator, Florida State Senate, District 12, 2016-present
  • Candidate, Florida State Senate, District 12, 2018
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, District 23, 2000-2007, 2010-2016
  • Speaker Pro Tempore, Florida State House of Representatives, 2000-2007
  • Commissioner, City of Belleview, 1982-1983
  • Mayor, City of Belleview, 1982-1983

Former Committees/Caucuses

Chairman, Marion County Delegation, present

Former Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice, Florida State Senate

Former Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Florida State Senate

Former Member, Choice & Innovation Subcommittee, Florida State House of Representatives

Former Vice Chair, Criminal Justice, Florida State Senate

Former Member, Criminal Justice Subcommittee, Florida State House of Representatives

Former Chair, Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, Florida State Senate

Former Member, Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining, Florida State Senate

Founding Chair, Legislative Vision Caucus

Former Member, Local & Federal Affairs Committee, Florida State House of Representatives

Former Member, Rules, Calendar & Ethics Committee, Florida State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Education Committee

Chair, Ethics and Elections Committee

Member, Finance and Tax Committee

Member, Health Policy Committee

Member, Joint Committee on Legislative Auditing

Member, Judiciary Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Education

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • AS, Funeral Service Program, Miami-Dade Community College, 1975
  • BA, Sociology/Psychology, Florida State University, 1974
  • AA, Central Florida Community College, 1972
  • Principal Owner, Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, present
  • Senator, Florida State Senate, District 12, 2016-present
  • Candidate, Florida State Senate, District 12, 2018
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, District 23, 2000-2007, 2010-2016
  • Speaker Pro Tempore, Florida State House of Representatives, 2000-2007
  • Commissioner, City of Belleview, 1982-1983
  • Mayor, City of Belleview, 1982-1983
  • Member, Advisory Board, Marion County Children's Advocacy Center, present
  • Board Member, Funeral Directors and Embalmers, Florida State Board, present
  • Member, Marion County Children's Alliance, present
  • Member, Professional Advisory Committee, Munroe Regional Development Foundation, present
  • Elder, The Vine Community Church, present
  • Board of Directors, Tiger Bay Club of Ocala, present
  • Former President, Belleview Chamber of Commerce
  • Chair, First Avenue National Bank
  • Founder, First Avenue National Bank
  • Former Board Member, Florida Center for the Blind
  • Former Vice President, Florida Center for the Blind
  • Member, Gideons International
  • Member, Lions Club
  • Vice Presidient, Marion County Republican Business Council
  • Former Board Member, Marion County United Way
  • Former President, Rotary Club, Belleview
  • Former Board Member, Rotary Sportsplex, Marion County

Other Info

— Awards:

  • NRA, Defender of Freedom Award
  • Defender of Life Award

Hobbies or Special Talents:

fishing, listening to Gospel music, reading

Names of Grandchildren:

Jacob, Joshua, Makayla, Kate Lynn, Martha, Katherine, Hazel, William

  • 9

Policy Positions

Florida State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Florida's budget.

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- No

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

5. Do you support prohibiting the use of handheld electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- Yes

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Florida?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Florida?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Florida high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support increasing state funding for environmental restoration projects?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Florida's health care programs?
- No

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Florida's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Florida's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

3. Do you support greater efforts by Florida state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1. I would like to expand career and technical education at K-12, state colleges and tech centers.2. I would like to eliminate public funding of campaigns.3. Continue protections for our natural resources.

Speeches