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Matt Willhite

D

Florida State House, District 86 (2016 - Present)

Vice Mayor, Village of Wellington (2008 - Present)

Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • AS, EMS/Technical Training for Firefighters, Palm Beach State College

Professional Experience

  • AS, EMS/Technical Training for Firefighters, Palm Beach State College
  • Former Corpsman, United States Navy

Political Experience

  • AS, EMS/Technical Training for Firefighters, Palm Beach State College
  • Former Corpsman, United States Navy
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, District 86, 2016-present
  • Vice Mayor, Village of Wellington, 2008-present
  • Candidate, Florida State House of Representatives, District 86, 2020

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Rusty Gordon Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Caucus, present

Former Member, Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee, Florida State House of Representatives

Former Member, Government Accountability Committee, Florida State House of Representatives

Vice Chair, Palm Beach County Water Resource Task Force

Former Member, PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee, Florida State House of Representatives

Former Member, Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee, Florida State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Commerce Committee

Member, Rules Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Business and Professions

Member, Subcommittee on Transportation and Tourism

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • AS, EMS/Technical Training for Firefighters, Palm Beach State College
  • Former Corpsman, United States Navy
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, District 86, 2016-present
  • Vice Mayor, Village of Wellington, 2008-present
  • Candidate, Florida State House of Representatives, District 86, 2020
  • Captain, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, 1996-present
  • Board Member, Acme Improvement District, present
  • Member, American Legion Post 390, present
  • Member, Binks Forest Elementary School Advisory Council, present
  • Member, Board of Directors, Palm Beach County League of Cities, present
  • Alternate Member, C-51 Canal Working Group, present
  • Member, Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, present
  • Member, League of Women Voters, present
  • Member, Metropolitan Planning Organization, present
  • Member, National Organization for Women, present
  • Member, Palm Beach County Economic Forum, present
  • Member, Professional Firefighters & Paramedics of Palm Beach County, present
  • Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars, present
  • Board Member, Wellington Community Foundation, present
  • Member, Wellington Rotary Club, present
  • Member, Western Communities Council, present
  • Former District Coordinator, Fire Fighters Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drives
  • Former President, Home Owners Associaition
  • Former Member, Wellington Public Safety Committee
  • Former Member, West Palm 100
Policy Positions

Florida State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

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?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

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?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

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?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Florida?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Lowering taxes is a good thing, but when we lower taxes we have to keep in mind that we are going to be cutting programs and services. In regards to welfare applicants passing a drug test, I support testing in the case that there is a history of drug use.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Florida?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

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?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- In regards to eliminating religious exemptions for vaccines, I support it only if a medical professional has deemed it a public safety hazard if the individual is not vaccinated. In regards to euthanasia, I support it only as a last option in cases of terminal illness.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Florida's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Florida's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

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.
- I wholeheartedly believe that investing in public school education is the single greatest investment we can make in our future. I will never stop fighting for the world-class education that our students deserve. I?ve dedicated my career to ensuring that our police, firefighters, and nurses have the resources they need to protect our community. I will continue to be a champion for investing in public safety. Ensuring that they have proper access to medical care and treatments, affordable prescription drugs, and consumer protections for our elderly that are at risk or are being advantage of.

Speeches