On March 12, 2013, Carroll submitted her letter of resignation to Governor Rick Scott. Her resignation became public on the following day. Scott's chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, released the following statement explaining how the ongoing national investigation into Allied Veterans of the World, a nonprofit chain of Internet cafes, had prompted Carroll to step down:

On March 12, Chase Burns, owner of International Internet Technologies, turned himself in to police in Oklahoma on a felony charge of being a fugitive from Florida. He was wanted in Florida in connection with racketeering and conspiracy charges. He allegedly sold illegal gambling software and then, together with the purchasers, claimed that proceeds from the games would benefit the Allied Veterans. However, prosecutors alleged that Burns made $290 million on the scheme and that less than 1 percent of the proceeds went to the nonprofit. Kristin Burns, his wife, had been arrested in Oklahoma on March 11 on charges of being a fugitive from Florida, where she was wanted on charges of racketeering, money laundering, and money laundering.

3 N. & J.C. Corporation, the public relations firm Carroll owned and served as president of, had represented Allied Veterans, and she consulted for the nonprofit while serving in the Florida House of Representatives. Carroll was criticized for having a conflict of interest when she pre-filed House Bill 1185 on February 22, 2010. This bill would have imposed various regulations on gaming operators for "sweepstakes" games but exempted nonprofit operators from the requirements. The exceptions for nonprofit gaming operators, such as Allied Veterans, was removed in a later version of the bill, but Carroll withdrew HB 1185 on February 24, 2010, before it had even been formally introduced. Citing an anonymous Republican Party source, Florida Times-Union online columnist Abel Harding attributed Carroll's decision to withdraw the bill to pressure from party leaders, but the legislator claimed that one of her staffer had "erroneously filed" the bill instead of simply requesting a "placeholder" bill which could be completed later.

On April 4, 2013, Carroll said she had no idea Allied Veterans was being investigated until two agents visited her office in March. When they left Gov. Scott's chief of staff told her Scott wanted her to resign, which she immediately agreed to. "In my military time, when the commander in chief makes a demand or a request, you say 'Aye, aye sir,' and you march on. And that's what I did. I thought it would be better to remove myself from being a distraction," she stated.

At the opening of a campaign office for Mitt Romney in July 2012, Carroll was asked about accusations made against her by a former staff member, claiming she caught Carroll and a female aide in a "compromising position." Denying the accusations, Carroll stated, "Black women that look like me don't engage in relationships like that."

Her comment was immediately met with criticism from many groups and individuals. Florida's Democratic Party issued a statement, saying, "Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll has embarrassed our state with her public comments insulting the gay and lesbian community. Her generalities about what Black lesbians 'look like' were ignorant, irrelevant and unnecessarily hostile."

Equality Florida launched an online petition demanding an apology and, on July 26, Carroll sent a letter to director Nadine Smith, saying her comment was "wrong and inexcusable" and that she is "committed to treating every person with the utmost courtesy, respect and dignity and I hope you will accept my heartfelt apology."

Florida House of Representatives (2003-2010)

Carroll did not provide answers to the Florida State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test. The test informs voters how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected.

During her last term in the House, Carroll served on the following committees:

• Economic Development Policy Committee (Chair)
• Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council
• Energy & Utilities Policy Committee
• Policy Council
• Select Policy Council on Strategic and Economic Planning
• Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee

Carroll's sponsored legislation in the House included:

• HB 407 - "Proceeds of Forfeitures: Increases minimum percentage of such proceeds that must go to non-law enforcement organizations; revises types of organizations that may receive such funds & purposes for which such funds may be expended."
• HB 997 - "Student Discipline and School Safety: Requires that district school board review its policy allowing corporal punishment once every 3 years during district school board meeting; revises content of district school board policies of zero tolerance"
• HB 1055 - "Taxation of Public-Private Transportation Facilities: Exempts certain public-private transportation facilities from certain specified taxes & special assessments; excludes certain taxes from such exemption."

For details and a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.

Carroll was elected as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida on a ticket with Gov. Rick Scott on November 2, 2010, and assumed office the following January. She is the first female lieutenant governor in Florida history.

Resignation

On March 12, 2013, Carroll submitted her letter of resignation to Governor Rick Scott. Her resignation became public on the following day. Scott's chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, released the following statement explaining how the ongoing national investigation into Allied Veterans of the World, a nonprofit chain of Internet cafes, had prompted Carroll to step down:

On March 12, Chase Burns, owner of International Internet Technologies, turned himself in to police in Oklahoma on a felony charge of being a fugitive from Florida. He was wanted in Florida in connection with racketeering and conspiracy charges. He allegedly sold illegal gambling software and then, together with the purchasers, claimed that proceeds from the games would benefit the Allied Veterans. However, prosecutors alleged that Burns made $290 million on the scheme and that less than 1 percent of the proceeds went to the nonprofit. Kristin Burns, his wife, had been arrested in Oklahoma on March 11 on charges of being a fugitive from Florida, where she was wanted on charges of racketeering, money laundering, and money laundering.

3 N. & J.C. Corporation, the public relations firm Carroll owned and served as president of, had represented Allied Veterans, and she consulted for the nonprofit while serving in the Florida House of Representatives. Carroll was criticized for having a conflict of interest when she pre-filed House Bill 1185 on February 22, 2010. This bill would have imposed various regulations on gaming operators for "sweepstakes" games but exempted nonprofit operators from the requirements. The exceptions for nonprofit gaming operators, such as Allied Veterans, was removed in a later version of the bill, but Carroll withdrew HB 1185 on February 24, 2010, before it had even been formally introduced. Citing an anonymous Republican Party source, Florida Times-Union online columnist Abel Harding attributed Carroll's decision to withdraw the bill to pressure from party leaders, but the legislator claimed that one of her staffer had "erroneously filed" the bill instead of simply requesting a "placeholder" bill which could be completed later.

On April 4, 2013, Carroll said she had no idea Allied Veterans was being investigated until two agents visited her office in March. When they left Gov. Scott's chief of staff told her Scott wanted her to resign, which she immediately agreed to. "In my military time, when the commander in chief makes a demand or a request, you say 'Aye, aye sir,' and you march on. And that's what I did. I thought it would be better to remove myself from being a distraction," she stated.

Anti-gay comment

At the opening of a campaign office for Mitt Romney in July 2012, Carroll was asked about accusations made against her by a former staff member, claiming she caught Carroll and a female aide in a "compromising position." Denying the accusations, Carroll stated, "Black women that look like me don't engage in relationships like that."

Her comment was immediately met with criticism from many groups and individuals. Florida's Democratic Party issued a statement, saying, "Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll has embarrassed our state with her public comments insulting the gay and lesbian community. Her generalities about what Black lesbians 'look like' were ignorant, irrelevant and unnecessarily hostile."

Equality Florida launched an online petition demanding an apology and, on July 26, Carroll sent a letter to director Nadine Smith, saying her comment was "wrong and inexcusable" and that she is "committed to treating every person with the utmost courtesy, respect and dignity and I hope you will accept my heartfelt apology."

Issue positions

Carroll did not provide answers to the Florida State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test. The test informs voters how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected.

Committee assignments

During her last term in the House, Carroll served on the following committees:

• Economic Development Policy Committee (Chair)
• Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council
• Energy & Utilities Policy Committee
• Policy Council
• Select Policy Council on Strategic and Economic Planning
• Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee

Sponsored legislation

Carroll's sponsored legislation in the House included:

• HB 407 - "Proceeds of Forfeitures: Increases minimum percentage of such proceeds that must go to non-law enforcement organizations; revises types of organizations that may receive such funds & purposes for which such funds may be expended."
• HB 997 - "Student Discipline and School Safety: Requires that district school board review its policy allowing corporal punishment once every 3 years during district school board meeting; revises content of district school board policies of zero tolerance"
• HB 1055 - "Taxation of Public-Private Transportation Facilities: Exempts certain public-private transportation facilities from certain specified taxes & special assessments; excludes certain taxes from such exemption."

For details and a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.