Journal of the Florida House of Representatives

Journal
of the

Florida

House of Representatives

Organization

Session

November 22, 1988

of the
Seventy-fourth House
since Statehood in 1845

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1988-1990

[Democrats in Roman (73); Republicans in Italic (47)]

District
1. Part of Escambia
Thomas J. "Tom" Tobiassen, Cantonment
2. Part of Escambia
Buzz Ritchie, Pensacola
3. Parts of Escambia, Santa Rosa
Tom Banjanin, Pensacola
4. Parts of Okaloosa, Santa Rosa [an uninhabited
portion of Escambia lies within this district]
Bolley L. "Bo" Johnson, Milton
5. Parts of Okaloosa, Walton
Robert T. Harden, Shalimar
6. Part of Bay
Ronald Clyde "Ron" Johnson, Panama City
7. Holmes, Washington and parts of Bay, Jack-
son, Walton
Sam Mitchell, Vernon
8. Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf and parts of Bay,
Franklin, Jackson
Robert DeWitt "Rob" Trammell, Marianna
9. Liberty and parts of Franklin, Leon, Wakulla
Alfred J. "Al" Lawson, Jr., Tallahassee
10. Part of Leon
Hurley W. Rudd, Tallahassee
11. Dixie, Gilchrist, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy,
Taylor and parts of Citrus, Marion, Wakulla
Gene Hodges, Cedar Key
(Resigned November 22, 1988)
F. Allen Boyd, Jr., Monticello
(Elected January 17, 1989)
12. Columbia, Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee
Joseph R. "Randy" Mackey, Jr., Lake City
13. Baker, Nassau, Union and parts of Bradford,
Duval
George A. Crady, Yulee
14. Part of Duval
Stephen R. Wise, Jacksonville
15. Part of Duval
Michael E. "Mike" Langton, Jacksonville
16. Part of Duval
Betty S. Holzendorf, Jacksonville
17. Part of Duval
Corrine Brown, Jacksonville

District
18. Part of Duval
James E. "Jim" King, Jacksonville
19. Parts of Duval, St. Johns
Joseph Arnall, Atlantic Beach
20. Part of Duval
David W. Troxler, Jacksonville
21. Clay and parts of Bradford, St. Johns
Frances L. "Chance" Irvine, Orange Park
22. Flagler and parts of Putnam, St. Johns
Roy Campbell, East Palatka
23. Parts of Alachua, Putnam
Sidney "Sid" Martin, Hawthorne
24. Part of Alachua
David Flagg, Gainesville
25. Part of Marion
George Albright, Ocala
26. Parts of Citrus, Marion
Dick Locke, Inverness
27. Parts of Lake, Marion, Putnam, Seminole,
Volusia
Stan Bainter, Tavares
28. Part of Volusia
Dick Graham, Ormond Beach
29. Part of Volusia
T. K. Wetherell, Daytona Beach
30. Part of Volusia
Jack Ascherl, New Smyrna Beach
31. Part of Brevard
Charlie Roberts, Titusville
32. Part of Brevard
Dixie N. Sansom, Satellite Beach
33. Part of Brevard
Harry C. Goode, Jr., Melbourne
34. Parts of Brevard, Orange, Seminole
Frank Stone, Casselberry
35. Part of Seminole
Arthur E. "Art" Grindle, Altamonte Springs
36. Parts of Orange, Seminole
Thomas B. "Tom" Drage, Jr., Maitland
37. Part of Orange
Richard T. "Rich" Crotty, Orlando

District
38. Part of Orange
Bruce McEwan, Orlando
39. Part of Orange
Bob Sindler, Apopka
40. Part of Orange
Alzo J. Reddick, Orlando
41. Part of Orange
Daniel Webster, Orlando
42. Parts of Osceola, Polk
C. Fred Jones, Auburndale
43. Part of Polk
Richard E. "Rick" Dantzler, Winter Haven
44. Part of Polk
Charles T. Canady, Lakeland
(Changed party affiliation from Democrat to
Republican on June 8, 1989)
45. Part of Polk
Tom Mims, Lakeland
46. Parts of Lake, Sumter
Everett A. Kelly, Tavares
47. Hernando and parts of Pasco, Sumter
Charles R. "Chuck" Smith, Brooksville
48. Part of Pasco
John Long, Land O'Lakes
49. Part of Pasco
John K. Renke, II, New Port Richey
50. Parts of Pasco, Pinellas
R. Z. "Sandy" Safley, Clearwater
51. Part of Pinellas
Gerald S. "Jerry" Rehm, Clearwater
52. Part of Pinellas
Sandra Barringer Mortham, Largo
53. Part of Pinellas
Dennis L. Jones, Treasure Island
54. Part of Pinellas
Lars A. Hafner, St. Petersburg
55. Part of Pinellas
Douglas L. "Tim" Jamerson, St. Petersburg
56. Part of Pinellas
Peter Rudy Wallace, St. Petersburg
57. Part of Pinellas
Jim Frishe, Pinellas Park
58. Part of Pinellas
Jeff Huenink, St. Petersburg

59. Part of Hillsborough
Brian P. Rush, Tampa

District
60. Part of Hillsborough
Mary Figg, Lutz
61. Parts of Hillsborough, Pasco
Carl Carpenter, Jr., Plant City
62. Part of Hillsborough
S. L. "Spud" Clements, Jr., Brandon
63. Part of Hillsborough
James T. "Jim" Hargrett, Jr., Tampa
64. Part of Hillsborough
Jim Davis, Tampa
65. Part of Hillsborough
Elvin L. Martinez, Tampa
66. Part of Hillsborough
Ronald Carl "Ron" Glickman, Tampa
67. Hardee and part of Manatee
J. J. "Toby" Holland, Jr., Palmetto
68. Part of Manatee
Peggy Simone, Bradenton
69. Parts of Manatee, Sarasota
Harry Jennings, Sarasota
70. Part of Sarasota
James M. Lombard, Osprey
71. Parts of Charlotte, Sarasota
David L. "Dave" Thomas, Englewood
72. Parts of Charlotte, DeSoto, Lee
Vernon Peeples, Punta Gorda
73. Part of Lee
J. Keith Arnold, Fort Myers
74. Part of Lee
Timothy F. "Tim" Ireland, Cape Coral
75. Parts of Collier, Lee
Mary Ellen Hawkins, Naples
76. Glades, Hendry, Highlands and parts of
Collier, DeSoto, Okeechobee
Bert J. Harris, Jr., Lake Placid
77. Parts of Brevard, Indian River, Okeechobee,
Osceola, St. Lucie
Irlo "Bud" Bronson, Jr., Kissimmee
78. Parts of Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie
R. Dale Patchett, Vero Beach
79. Parts of Martin, St. Lucie
Charles L. "Chuck" Nergard, Port St. Lucie
80. Parts of Martin, Palm Beach
James C. "Jim" Hill, Jr., Jupiter

81. Part of Palm Beach
Marian V. Lewis, North Palm Beach

District
82. Part of Palm Beach
Ray Liberti, West Palm Beach
83. Part of Palm Beach
Lois J. Frankel, West Palm Beach
84. Part of Palm Beach
Edward J. "Ed" Healey, West Palm Beach
85. Part of Palm Beach
Frank S. Messersmith, Lake Worth
86. Part of Palm Beach
Steve Press, Delray Beach
87. Parts of Broward, Palm Beach
Carol G. Hanson, Boca Raton
88. Part of Broward
Jack N. Tobin, Margate
89. Part of Broward
Ben Graber, Coral Springs
90. Part of Broward
Peter R. Deutsch, Tamarac
91. Part of Broward
Bill Clark, Lauderdale Lakes
92. Part of Broward
Robert J. "Bob" Shelley, Pompano Beach
93. Part of Broward
Debby P. Sanderson, Fort Lauderdale
94. Part of Broward
Tom Gustafson, Fort Lauderdale
95. Part of Broward
Anne Mackenzie, Fort Lauderdale
96. Part of Broward
Norman Ostrau, Plantation
97. Part of Broward
Frederick "Fred" Lippman, Hollywood
98. Part of Broward
Steve Geller, Hallandale
99. Part of Broward
Walter C. "Walt" Young, Pembroke Pines
100. Parts of Broward, Dade
Ronald A. "Ron" Silver, North Miami Beach
101. Part of Dade
Michael I. "Mike" Abrams, Miami

District
102. Part of Dade
Elaine Gordon, North Miami
103. Part of Dade
Michael Friedman, Surfside
104. Part of Dade
Elaine Bloom, Miami Beach
105. Part of Dade
Alberto "Al" Gutman, Miami
106. Part of Dade
Jefferson "Jeff' Reaves, Sr., Miami
107. Part of Dade
James C. "Jim" Burke, Miami
108. Part of Dade
Willie Logan, Jr., Opa Locka
109. Part of Dade
Luis E. Rojas, Hialeah
110. Part of Dade
Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Miami
111. Part of Dade
Nilo Juri, Hialeah
112. Part of Dade
Carlos L. Valdes, Miami Springs
113. Part of Dade
Luis C. Morse, Miami
114. Part of Dade
Bruce Hoffmann, South Miami
115. Part of Dade
Mario Diaz-Balart, Miami
116. Part of Dade
Art Simon, Miami
117. Part of Dade
Susan Guber, Miami
118. Part of Dade
Tom Easterly, Miami
119. Part of Dade
John F. Cosgrove, Miami
120. Monroe and part of Dade
Ron Saunders, Key West

OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Speaker-Tom Gustafson
Speaker pro tempore-Sam Mitchell

Clerk-John B. Phelps
Sergeant at Arms-Wayne Westmark

The JournalOFTHE

House of Representatives

ORGANIZATION SESSION

Tuesday, November 22, 1988

Journal of the House of Representatives for the Organization Session of the Seventy-fourth House since Statehood in 1845,
convened under the Constitution, begun and held at the Capitol in the City of Tallahassee, in the State of Florida, on
Tuesday, November 22, 1988, being the day fixed by the Constitution for the purpose.

Under Rule 3.1, John B. Phelps, Clerk of the preceding session,
delegated the duties of temporary presiding officer to the Honorable Jon
Mills, retiring Speaker. Mr. Mills called the House to order at 10:00 a.m.
The following certified list of Members elected to the House of
Representatives was received:

State of Florida

Office of Secretary of State

I, JIM SMITH, Secretary of State of the State of Florida, do hereby
certify that the following Members of the House of Representatives were
elected at the General Election held on the Eighth day of November, A. D.,
1988, as shown by the election returns on file in this office:
HOUSE DISTRICT
NUMBER
1-Tom Tobiassen, Gonzalez
2-Buzz Ritchie, Pensacola
3-Tom Banjanin, Pensacola
4-Bolley "Bo" Johnson, Milton
5-Robert Harden, Shalimar
6-Ron Johnson, Panama City
7-Sam Mitchell, Vernon
8-Robert D. Trammell, Marianna
9-Alfred (Al) Lawson, Jr., Tallahassee
10-Hurley W. Rudd, Tallahassee
11-Gene Hodges, Cedar Key
12-Randy Mackey, Lake City
13-George Crady, Yulee
14-Stephen R. Wise, Jacksonville
15-Michael E. "Mike" Langton, Jacksonville
16-Betty S. Holzendorf, Jacksonville
17-Corrine Brown, Jacksonville
18-James E. "Jim" King, Jr., Jacksonville
19-Joe Arnall, Atlantic Beach
20-David Troxler, Jacksonville
21-Chance Irvine, Orange Park
22-Roy Campbell, East Palatka
23-Sidney Martin, Hawthorne
24-David Flagg, Gainesville
25-George Albright, Ocala
26-Dick Locke, Inverness
27-Stan Bainter, Eustis
28-Dick Graham, Ormond Beach
29-T. K. Wetherell, Daytona Beach
30-Jack Ascherl, New Smyrna Beach
31-Charlie Roberts, Titusville

32-Dixie Sansom, Satellite Beach
33-Harry C. Goode, Jr., Melbourne
34-Frank Stone, Casselberry
35-Art Grindle, Altamonte Springs
36-Thomas B. Drage, Jr., Orlando
37-Richard T. Crotty, Orlando
38-Bruce McEwan, Orlando
39-Bob Sindler, Apopka
40-Alzo J. Reddick, Orlando
41-Daniel Webster, Orlando
42-C. Fred Jones, Auburndale
43-Rick Dantzler, Winter Haven
44-Charles T. Canady, Lakeland
45-Tom Mims, Lakeland
46-Everett A. Kelly, Tavares
47-Charles R. "Chuck" Smith, Brooksville
48-John Long, Land O'Lakes
49-John Renke, New Port Richey
50-R. Z. "Sandy" Safley, Clearwater
51-Gerald S. "Jerry" Rehm, Clearwater
52-Sandra Barringer Mortham, Largo
53-Dennis L. Jones, Seminole
54-Lars A. Hafner, St. Petersburg
55-Doug "Tim" Jamerson, St. Petersburg
56-Peter Rudy Wallace, St. Petersburg
57-Jim Frishe, Pinellas Park
58-Jeff Huenink, St. Petersburg
59-Brian Rush, Tampa
60-Mary Figg, Temple Terrace
61-Carl Carpenter, Jr., Plant City
62-S. L. "Spud" Clements, Brandon
63-James T. (Jim) Hargrett, Jr., Tampa
64-Jim Davis, Tampa
65-Elvin L. Martinez, Tampa
66-Ron Glickman, Tampa
67-J. J. "Toby" Holland, Palmetto
68-Peggy Simone, Bradenton
69-Harry Jennings, Sarasota
70-James M. Lombard, Osprey
71-David L. Thomas, Englewood
72-Vernon Peeples, Punta Gorda
73-J. Keith Arnold, Fort Myers
74-Tim Ireland, Cape Coral
75-Mary Ellen Hawkins, Naples
76-Bert J. Harris, Jr., Lake Placid
77-Irlo "Bud" Bronson, Kissimmee
78-R. Dale Patchett, Vero Beach
79-Charles (Chuck) Nergard, Port St. Lucie
80-James C. Hill, Jr., Jupiter

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JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

81-Marian Lewis, North Palm Beach
82-Ray Liberti, West Palm Beach
83-Lois J. Frankel, West Palm Beach
84-Ed Healey, West Palm Beach
85-Frank S. Messersmith, Lake Worth
86-Steve Press, Delray Beach
87-Carol G. Hanson, Boca Raton
88-Jack N. Tobin, Margate
89-Ben Graber, Coral Springs
90-Peter Deutsch, Plantation
91-Bill Clark, Lauderdale Lakes
92-Robert J. "Bob" Shelley, Pompano Beach
93-Debby P. Sanderson, Ft. Lauderdale
94-Tom Gustafson, Ft. Lauderdale
95-Anne Mackenzie, Ft. Lauderdale
96-Norman Ostrau, Plantation
97-Fred Lippman, Hollywood
98-Steve Geller, Hallandale
99-Walter C. (Walt) Young, Pembroke Pines
100-Ronald (Ron) A. Silver, North Miami Beach
101-Michael I. Abrams, Miami
102-Elaine Gordon, North Miami
103-Michael Friedman, Surfside
104-Elaine Bloom, Miami Beach
105-Alberto (Al) Gutman, Miami
106-Jefferson Reaves, Sr., Miami
107-James (Jim) Burke, Miami
108-Willie Logan, Opa-Locka
109-Luis E. Rojas, Hialeah
110-Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Miami
111-Nilo Juri, Hialeah
112-Carlos L. Valdes, Miami
113-Luis C. Morse, Miami
114-Bruce Hoffmann, South Miami
115-Mario Diaz-Balart, Miami
116-Art Simon, Miami
117-Susan Guber, Miami
118-Tom Easterly, Miami
119-John F. Cosgrove, Miami
120-Ron Saunders, Key West
i GIVEN under my hand and the Great seal of the
State of Florida at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this
22nd day of November, A. D., 1988.
JIM SMITH
Secretary of State

Prayer
The following remarks and prayer were offered by Dr. James Thomas
Owens, Instructor at Florida Baptist Theological College, Graceville, upon
invitation of Representative Mitchell:
Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, and guests, no doubt many of you
have attended large schools in the State of Florida. I attended Brock School
in the area of hard labor, of Washington County in 1940. We had two rooms
in our school. In one room, grades one through four were taught; in the
other room, grades five through eight. I knew every person very well in my
class.
Today, I could not believe but every member of our class, as well as our
teacher and our school principal, is here today for our Organization Session
of our Florida House of Representatives. Our school principal and our
teacher was my mother and she's here today. I had only one classmate and
he's here today, Representative Sam Mitchell.
May we pray together: Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we give
thanks to You for allowing us to be citizens of a great nation and for the
privilege of living in the wonderful State of Florida. You have blessed our
nation and our state; for this, we express our sincere gratitude.
As we begin this Organization Session of the Florida House of

Representatives, we pray Your richest blessing upon this body of chosen
servants and ask that You guide each Member under the leadership of

Speaker Tom Gustafson and Speaker pro tempore Sam Mitchell. We
recognize the folly of seeking and expecting Your guidance in our public
lives, while we fail to open the door to You in our private lives; therefore,
help us give first priority to our relationship to You and strengthen us to
walk spiritually and morally upright. Your word says: "If any man lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally... and it shall
be given him."
Today we ask for that promised wisdom so that we may rightly use the
trust committed to us for the good of all people of our state. We pray in
the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The following Members were recorded present:

Abrams
Albright
Arnall
Arnold
Ascherl
Bainter
Banjanin
Bloom
Bronson
Brown
Burke
Campbell
Canady
Carpenter
Clark
Clements
Cosgrove
Crady
Crotty
Dantzler
Davis
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Drage
Easterly
Figg
Flagg
Frankel
Friedman

Frishe
Geller
Glickman
Goode
Gordon
Graber
Graham
Grindle
Guber
Gustafson
Gutman
Hafner
Hanson
Harden
Hargrett
Harris
Hawkins
Healey
Hill
Hodges
Hoffmann
Holland
Holzendorf
Huenink
Ireland
Irvine
Jamerson
Jennings
Johnson, B. L.
Johnson, R. C.

Jones, C. F.
Jones, D. L.
Juri
Kelly
King
Langton
Lawson
Lewis
Liberti
Lippman
Locke
Logan
Lombard
Long
Mackenzie
Mackey
Martin
Martinez
McEwan
Messersmith
Mims
Mitchell
Morse
Mortham
Nergard
Ostrau
Patchett
Peeples
Press
Reaves

Reddick
Rehm
Renke
Ritchie
Roberts
Rojas
Rudd
Rush
Safley
Sanderson
Sansom
Saunders
Shelley
Silver
Simon
Simone
Sindler
Smith
Stone
Thomas
Tobiassen
Tobin
Trammell
Troxler
Valdes
Wallace
Webster
Wetherell
Wise
Young

A quorum was present.

Pledge
The Members pledged allegiance to the Flag, led by the following
representatives of veterans organizations: Frank Reese, State Commander,
American Legion; Peter Puentes, Senior Vice Commander, Veterans of
Foreign Wars; Bill Fabregas, State Commander, Disabled American
Veterans; Bob Padgett, State Commander, Military Order of the Purple
Heart; Bob French, Past Regional Vice President, Fleet Reserve
Association; Bill Wilder, State President, Vietnam Veterans of Florida
Coalition; Stan Siedel, State Legislative Officer, Vietnam Veterans of
America; Colonel Charles Lawson, State President, Reserve Officers
Association; Clyde Cleveland, President, County Veterans Service Officers
Association; Arthur McCarthy, State Legislative Coordinator, Non-
commissioned Officers Association.

House Physician
The Speaker introduced Dr. T. Wallace Hahn of Pompano Beach, who
was serving in the Clinic today upon invitation of Representative Lippman.

Oath Taken by Members
The Members, in groups of six, went to the well where the Oath of Office
prescribed by the Constitution was administered by Chief Justice
Raymond Ehrlich, Florida Supreme Court.

November 22, 1988

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JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Presentation of Guests
The Chair presented the following former Speakers of the House who
were present in the Chamber: The Honorable Ralph H. Haben,
Tallahassee; the Honorable Donald L. Tucker, Tallahassee; the Honorable
James Harold Thompson, Gretna; the Honorable H. Lee Moffitt, Tampa;
and the Honorable Ralph D. Turlington, Tallahassee. Additional guests
presented were: U. S. Congressman Bill Nelson, former Member of the
House from Melbourne and the Honorable Leonard V. Wood, former
Member of the House from Altamonte Springs.

Election of the Speaker
The Chair announced the House would now proceed to the election of
Officers and, for the purposes of nominations, motions would be seconded.
Nominations would now be received for Speaker of the House of
Representatives for a term of two years beginning today.
Representative Lippman nominated the Honorable Tom Gustafson for
Speaker.
Representative Lippman: Honored guests, families, friends and dear
colleagues. Today marks a great day for the State of Florida. Today signals
the future. For today is the day that we will have the opportunity to select
a Speaker who possesses both wisdom and courage; a man with a keen sense
of the past and an eye on the future; a man of steadfast integrity and
determination; a man whose dramatic intellect gives him perspectives that
few others know.
Tom is an efficiency expert. His contributions to our state are legend.
He's tackled hard issues and won, while others looked on for a quick fix.
Tom worked hard and produced real results. Tom says that the way to get
something done is "Do it!" His willingness to persist in finding answers is
unparalleled. He will not stop until he has completed what he has set out
to do no matter how long it takes. Those of you who have worked alongside
Tom for these past twelve years know this well. Those of you who have not
had that privilege will come to know this very well.
He has set an example of which he can be proud; an example we all
should emulate. Determination, honesty, integrity, trust-qualities that fit
this public servant well. Tom Gustafson has another side, a much softer
side. Tom Gustafson has been changed by experience. From the time he
first met Lynn Soowal, his wife, Tom has been changing, growing into the
warm and caring man he is today-a family man, a father, a loving
husband. Tom Gustafson has been changed by this life experience. The
birth of his daughters, Rachel and Cortney, has only served to crystalize
within Tom the real reason that we are all here-for the children, for the
families, and for the people.
John F. Kennedy once said, "It is not difficult to do what is right. It is
difficult to know what is right." Tom Gustafson knows what is right. He
knows what is fair. And he has the tenacity to see to it that the citizens of
Florida receive the benefits of every Member in this body. He has the
wisdom to know the value of inclusive leadership, not exclusive leadership,
tapping the strengths of each of us in the Florida House of Representatives.
It is only through inclusion that the needs of our state will be met.
Tom will bring a great change to this process. He has achieved a sense
of dramatic proportion. He will organize the House so that we can operate
smoothly and open to the public. He will provide direction so that the
important issues which concern the citizens of the State of Florida be fairly
debated, be resolved and be open for all to hear and see. He will be sensitive
to the people and preserve their right to view this process. He will
steadfastly maintain a fair application of rules and preserve that very
precious public trust, never compromising the body, never compromising
you as colleagues. With the help of all of you, Tom Gustafson will
accomplish a great deal, and he will do it, as I said before, for the children,
for the families, and for the people.
Today does mark a great day for the State of Florida. Today does signal
the future. Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues of the House, honored
guests, families and friends, it gives me great and dear pleasure to nominate
Thomas F. Gustafson, Jr., to the office of Speaker of the Florida House of
Representatives.

Representative Wetherell: Ladies and gentlemen of the House. It
is a privilege for me to second the nomination of Tom Gustafson to be
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives for the 1989 and '90
Sessions only. [laughter]
Article III, Section 3(a) of the Florida Constitution states that on the
fourteenth day following the general election, the Florida Legislature shall
convene for the purpose of an organizational session and to select its
officers. That day this year falls on November 22, 1988, twenty-five years
to the day President John Kennedy was assassinated. This time twenty-
five years ago, President Kennedy had about three hours to live. He
represented to many of us, and I would say to probably all of us in this
Chamber, a new generation, a future, a challenge. Republicans and
Democrats all mourned that loss.
My parents, and that generation, remember where they were on
December 7, 1941. We, in my generation, remember where we were on
November 22, 1963. Tom Gustafson was a senior at Nova High School
getting ready to go to American History Class. Sam Mitchell was a football
coach at Vernon High School getting ready for football practice. Elaine
Gordon was in the Grand Bahamas. George Crady still owns, and at that
time was the owner of, a tackle shop right outside of Jacksonville. He was
working in his shop. Alzo Reddick was in Germany, an E5 medic on
maneuvers. Ron Saunders was in the third grade beginning his reading
class for the second time that day. [laughter] Dale Patchett was beginning
an American Lit. course. Al Gutman was four years old in Communist Cuba
and Tom Mims wasn't born yet. We all remember where we were on that
day, and we remember what President Kennedy represented to this nation.
Any transition in this House in Speakers also brings a certain
expectation with it. We have a number of people here who have been
Speaker at one time or another. During my tenure, and just preceding that,
I have been associated with six of these gentlemen who are here today.
Each of them brought a certain hope and aspiration to this House. Don
Tucker was the last person to serve two terms as Speaker. I hope that
tradition continues. Hyatt Brown has been known as the businessman who
organized it all and put together a new team and a new group of leaders.
Ralph Haben probably inherited the most talented class and the most
talented legislature of any Member who became Speaker. That was my first
year in the Florida Legislature. Lee Moffitt oversaw a reapportionment
plan that was probably the fairest that was ever developed and a direct
result of many of us, and many of you, being in this House today. James
Harold Thompson was one of the wise leaders who began to tell us that we
needed to look where we had been as much as where we were going. Jon
Mills was a Speaker with great vision and began to challenge us to be the
best we can be.
Today, we talk about Tom Gustafson, and we talk about his nomination.
No one has worked harder to be Speaker of the Florida House of
Representatives than Tom Gustafson. He and I were together about a week
ago and we counted up the number of pledges that he had. In his term,
since he began running, I believe he has had 178 people pledge to him to
be Speaker, some, two or three times pledged to him to be Speaker.
No one has more energy than Tom Gustafson. He's talking about seven
o'clock meetings, eleven o'clock meetings at night. He is a bundle of energy.
No one has had more ideas put before this body to be Speaker than Tom
Gustafson. He is just a bundle of ideas. You will come to understand that.
Tom Gustafson has probably done more to open up the Florida House of
Representatives prior to his term as Speaker than anyone. George Crady,
Spud Clements and a group have been working on rule changes that I
believe you'll find open up this body more than most people believed
possible.
Tom Gustafson will be an outstanding Speaker. He will carry on a
tradition of leadership that is unsurpassed in legislative bodies. It seems
to me that it's appropriate then, today, that we stop and realize the words
of President Kennedy when he said, "Let the word go forth, from this time
and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new
generation of Americans. Born in this century, tempered by war,
disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our heritage and unwilling
to witness or permit the undoing of those human rights to which this nation
has always been committed."

Representative Wetherell seconded the nomination of Representative With those words as our challenge, with malice toward none, I'm proud
Gustafson for Speaker. to second the nomination of Tom Gustafson to be Speaker.

November 22, 1988

3

4 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE

Representative Clark seconded the nomination of Representative
Gustafson for Speaker.
Representative Clark: Mr. Speaker, Speaker pro tempore, former
Speakers, Members of the House, the Gustafson and Mitchell families, and
invited guests. I am honored to have the privilege to second the nomination
of Representative Tom Gustafson for the Speakership of the Florida House
of Representatives commencing with the 74th House since statehood.
Representative Tom Gustafson has pursued his assignments with great
vision and fairness. An expanded economy is one of the goals of
Representative Gustafson's speakership. We can be proud that we have
chosen a man with vision to develop an agenda that is designed to assist
this state, this state's economy, an economy that should expand faster than
the population and provide a business climate that accommodates small
farmers in North Florida and at the same time welcomes the largest
corporations in America to Florida. Representative Gustafson understands
that an expanded economy provides the best way to improve the quality
of life for all Floridians. Tom has visited our communities, has learned
what we want to accomplish for our fellow citizens. He has been open and
honest and has encouraged each of us to be forward-thinking in our vision
for improving the quality of life for all Floridians.
It is now time for all of us to put our shoulders to the wheel of lawmaking
and get on with the business of making laws for a great state. There is a
place for each of us to make a contribution. Tom Gustafson's rise to the
House Speakership has truly been a phenomenal journey-a climb made
from the rough side of the mountain. His climb began twelve years ago and
has been steady, persistent, and purposeful, in spite of many odds, and has
been accomplished with great dignity, style and fair play. The rough side
of the mountain, you see, is sloped, but it is the easiest side to climb because
of its ledges, its outcrops, its boulders and windswept trees. Tom's outcrop
is a Sam Mitchell, a person who kept Tom's spirit up when his climb carried
him through some dark clouds and difficult footings. A ledge is a Sam Bell,
a person who would push Tom when he slowed down and would provide
a vantage point to help him keep his eye on the prize. A tree is a Doug
Jamerson, a person who drove all over Florida to assist anytime that he was
needed. There are many of you in this body who helped him to climb up
the rough side of the mountain. Tom would not know us personally, he
would not know our families, he would not know our legislative interests
if he had come up on the smooth side of the mountain. Members of the
House, let us start the engine of cooperation, support and respect. Let us
embrace Representative Gustafson's vision of a prosperous Florida and let
us be proud that we have chosen him. Thank you.
Representative Sansom nominated the Honorable R. Dale Patchett for
Speaker.
Representative Sansom: Mr. Speaker, fellow Members of the
Florida House of Representatives, and our very special guests that are with
us today. It is my privilege to nominate for Speaker of the Florida House
of Representatives, the Honorable Dale Patchett of District 78. As one of
the six members of the Brevard County Legislative Delegation, it is a very
special privilege for me to stand before you this morning to urge you to vote
for one of our own delegation members as Speaker.
I have known Dale since his first election in 1976 to the Florida House
of Representatives. Dale does not hesitate at the starting gate. He had
already been a Member of the senate, a lieutenant governor and a
president, before he came to us-all while he was in college in Illinois. Just
three years after moving to Florida, he was elected to the House where he
has served since then. His wife, Candy, and his daughter, Katie, certainly
know that Dale is a working legislator. The rest of us know that, too, and
have recognized his dedication as one of our fellow legislators.
Organizations as diverse as the prosecuting attorneys and as the Audubon
have honored Dale with working legislator awards. Within our own ranks,
Dale has steadily worked from Assistant Minority Whip in 1980 to a
selection, four years ago, as the Republican Leader of the Florida House
of Representatives. Fellow Members, from an area of Florida which is a
leader in food production and in space technology; an area of Florida which

has an increasing population in school students, as well as in retirees; an
area with constant growth demands and a very sensitive ecosystem; I
nominate and urge each of you to vote for, as Speaker, a person who will
lead us in building a firm foundation to take us into the next century, fellow
delegation member, Robert Dale Patchett.

Abrams
Arnold
Ascherl
Bloom
Bronson
Brown
Burke
Campbell
Canady
Carpenter
Clark
Clements
Cosgrove
Crady
Dantzler

Davis
Deutsch
Easterly
Figg
Flagg
Frankel
Friedman
Geller
Glickman
Goode
Gordon
Graber
Guber
Gustafson
Hafner

Hargrett
Harris
Healey
Hodges
Holzendorf
Jamerson
Johnson, B. L.
Johnson, R. C.
Jones, C. F.
Kelly
Langton
Lawson
Liberti
Lippman
Locke

Logan
Long
Mackenzie
Mackey
Martin
Martinez
Mims
Mitchell
Ostrau
Peeples
Press
Reaves
Reddick
Ritchie
Roberts

1

E OF REPRESENTATIVES November 22, 1988

Representative Thomas seconded the nomination of Representative
Patchett for Speaker.
Representative Thomas: Mr. Speaker, honored guests. It is my
pleasure to second the nomination of Robert Dale Patchett for the Speaker
of the Florida House of Representatives. Dale is a man who has proven
himself time and time again-from receiving the Most Outstanding
Freshman Legislator Award in 1977 to this year's Florida Conservation
Association's Outstanding Contributor to Conservation Award. He has
molded the Republican Caucus and led us to a position of, not just the loyal
opposition, but the emerging majority. He is the spokesman for the middle-
right conservative movement. He leads by example and sends no Members
or staff in areas where he has not personally tread.
I have watched him lose pet projects and personally-sponsored pieces of
legislation for the good of this House and for the good of the State of
Florida. As a part of this public service, we all make personal sacrifices, but
when one becomes the leader of the largest, single voting block in this
House, those personal sacrifices increase by orders of magnitude. He has
met those sacrifices and triumphed over them. In a world of politicians and
politics, he is a statesman. I implore you to consider voting for Dale as the
next Speaker of the Florida House. Thank you.
Representative Banjanin seconded the nomination of Representative
Patchett for Speaker.
Representative Banjanin: Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen. It is
with pride that I second the nomination of Dale Patchett as Speaker of the
Florida House of Representatives. You judge a potential leader by the
timber that he is made of. You want a solid man, a man of oak. Dale
Patchett is a man of oak.
A politician is a man who looks to the next election. A statesman looks
to the next generation. Dale Patchett is a statesman. A politician focuses
on the success of his party. A statesman focuses on the future of his state.
Dale Patchett is a statesman. A statesman seeks to steer; a politician is
content to drift. Dale Patchett is a statesman. Dale Patchett can steer
because in his purpose and his philosophy, in his experience and
temperament, there is leadership. With a lack of leadership, the loss cannot
possibly be estimated. From that moment, there is no compass to govern,
nor can one clearly see to what port to steer.
I discern that Dale Patchett has a good purpose, that he has a philosophy
that men and women on both sides, whether Republican or Democrat, can
support; that he has a wealth of experience in the dynamics of this
legislative process and that he has a temperament lacking in ruthlessness.
President Teddy Roosevelt once said that our chief usefulness to humanity
rests on our combining power with high purpose. Power undirected by high
purpose spells calamity and high purpose by itself is utterly useless if the
power to put it into effect is lacking. Dale Patchett has the high purpose.
I ask you, both Republican and Democrat, give him the power to put that
high purpose into action. In closing, I say something that I've never said
to anyone, "Dale Patchett, I'll put your bumper sticker on my car any day."
[laughter]
On motion by Rep. Figg, seconded by Rep. Glickman, nominations
ceased and Representatives Gustafson and Patchett were declared
nominees for Speaker. When the votes were cast for Speaker, the result
was:
Gustafson-73

November 22, 1988 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rudd
Rush
Saunders
Silver

Simon
Sindler
Smith
Tobiassen

Tobin
Trammell
Wallace
Wetherell

Young

Three votes were inadvertently recorded. The roll call was adjusted
accordingly.
Patchett-47

Albright
Arnall
Bainter
Banjanin
Crotty
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Drage
Frishe
Graham
Grindle
Gutman

Hanson
Harden
Hawkins
Hill
Hoffmann
Holland
Huenink
Ireland
Irvine
Jennings
Jones, D. L.
Juri

King
Lewis
Lombard
McEwan
Messersmith
Morse
Mortham
Nergard
Patchett
Rehm
Renke
Rojas

Safley
Sanderson
Sansom
Shelley
Simone
Stone
Thomas
Troxler
Valdes
Webster
Wise

Rep. Gustafson was declared the duly elected Speaker of the House for
a term of two years beginning today.
On motion by Rep. Silver, seconded by Rep. Long, the Chair appointed
Representatives Arnold, Abrams, Brown, Peeples, Canady and Trammell
as a committee to escort Rep. Gustafson and his family to the rostrum.
Chief Justice Ehrlich administered the Oath of Office to the Speaker,
using the Torah.
Rep. C. F. Jones presented the following family members and friend: Mr.
Gustafson's parents, Carol and Tom Gustafson, Sr.; his sister, Katie
Stephens; his sister and her husband, Paty and John Barr; his wife's
parents, Jerry and Louise Soowal; her sister and brother-in-law, Allison
and Rudy Ruytenbek; and Melanie Carstens. Rep. C. F. Jones then
presented the Speaker's wife, Lynn, and their daughters Rachel and
Cortney.
Presentation of Speaker
Representative Mackenzie presented the Honorable Tom Gustafson,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Mackenzie: It is with a great deal of pleasure and honor that I
stand before you, my colleagues, this morning for a very special
presentation. It was a long twelve years ago when I first arrived in the
Florida Legislature as a staff person. And from the humble beginnings in
an old office, very small and very cramped, off of the west gallery in the
old Capitol, I shared many an evening with Tom Gustafson. When I was
typing letters, Tom was usually out promoting a new idea, working very
diligently to make a difference and some things never change. Back in 1982,
when I first ran for office, I sat down after my very first primary which was
a very, very crowded primary and said, "Now, my God, what do I do?" I
called on my friend, Tom, and I said, "Tom, what is your best advice?" And
he gave me some very good advice that I've taken to heart ever since then.
And that advice was: "Raise more money, give it all to the post office, and
do the best you can do." Some things never change.
Today, as I stand close to my good friend, Tom Gustafson, first as the
best man at his wedding, and now presenting him to you, my friends and
colleagues and friends in the gallery, and most importantly, thank God for
my family and yours, it's all over with, Tom. Go get 'em.
Mr. Mills handed to Mr. Gustafson the gavel signifying his authority as
the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
THE SPEAKER IN THE CHAIR
Rep. Gustafson, in accepting the gavel, said: "For my wife and children,
Lynn's family and my family, and to my expanded family, this Florida
House of Representatives, I want to say thank you for all the many years
that we have all worked together for a result which I hope over the next
two years will work to the benefit of every single Member of this Florida
House. I want to thank you for the friendship and the hospitality that each
of you in your own way has shown to me, and particularly thank you for
letting me grow up, starting at the age of 26, so that by the time I had
reached my 39th birthday I was considered by the Members of this House
capable of being the Speaker of the Florida House.

"It is the honor of my life and I will carry it out with that kind of regard
for you and for the office through my two years. I would like to reserve my
organizational session speech until later, but for right now I just wanted
to say thank you, and for the next two years, let's get some work done.
Thank you."

Committee from the Senate
A committee from the Senate consisting of Senators Gardner, Bankhead,
Davis, Casas, Bruner, Plummer and Ros-Lehtinen was received and
announced that the Senate was organized.

Election of the Speaker pro tempore
The Speaker announced that nominations would now be received for
Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives for a two-year term
beginning today.
Representative Clements nominated the Honorable Sam Mitchell for
Speaker pro tempore.
Representative Clements: Mr. Speaker, colleagues, honored guests,
families and friends in the gallery. Twelve days ago I stood here at the well
and extolled the virtues and the solid human qualities of my friend, Samuel
Mitchell, as I nominated him to the office of Speaker pro tem of this House
of Representatives for the next two years. I was frankly shocked by the
power of my persuasion when I looked up and saw that Sam Mitchell got
every vote in the Chamber. Nothing has happened in the past twelve days
to change anything I said about Sam then. Well, maybe just one thing
makes it a little different this time. This time I've got to tell the truth. This
time, Sam's mother is here. So, Mama Mitchell, I want to tell you
personally that we think you have raised an excellent son, a man we admire
and a friend whose formula for life is respect for his fellow humans. Having
said those things, I also wish to express to you in behalf of this assembly,
this House, my genuine compassion for those thousands and thousands of
hours that you surely must have stood before a hot stove cooking all of that
food Sam required to fill out that big frame of his. You are to be
commended for such endurance. It is no less an honor for me today to be
a part of this official ceremony to honor my friend and colleague, Samuel
Willis Mitchell. When I nominated Sam Mitchell to the office of Speaker
pro tempore at our Democratic Caucus twelve days ago, I spoke of Sam's
qualities as a champion coach, a champion of small farmers, a champion
of the little person, and a champion of the fundamental values of life.
Those are important qualities for a leader whose actions can help glue
together the plans for Florida's future. But if I had to select just one vital
quality of leadership that Sam brings to this House, it is the quality of
maturity.
There aren't many of us in here, in this House, who have seen Florida
grow and change like Sam has. His knowledge is important in shaping our
future. Who among us today went to the beaches at night when we were
teenagers and saw the sobering fires of merchant ships being torpedoed off
of our shores? Who among us endured a single two-lane road connecting
Tampa and Tallahassee-and no lanes from many farms to the markets?
Who among us knows what a Hoover apple is and the pain it brings when
that era is mentioned? Nothing, nothing, can substitute for experience and
maturity and that's what Sam Mitchell brings to this House. He brings a
tough, political maturity also, which should be a model for all of us and our
future conduct. Even this, solid maturity is the leavening of good
legislation. This House will be the better for it; Florida will be better for
it. Today, Mr. Speaker, with an even greater feeling of honor than I felt
during our Caucus proceedings twelve days ago, I do place in nomination
for the office of Speaker pro tempore of this 74th House, the name of the
gentleman from the Seventh District, the Honorable Samuel Willis
Mitchell.
Representative Smith seconded the nomination of Representative
Mitchell for Speaker pro tempore.
Representative Smith: Mr. Speaker, former Mr. Speakers, and
friends all. Sam, I should be getting pretty good at this; this is the third
time isn't it? Way to go, Samuel Willis Mitchell. If you've read the Clerk's
Manual, he's somewhat of a fraud, you see, because he said he was born in
Chipley. That's not true, he was born in Millville. So, we're going to get the

record straight right off the bat, here. I was going to tell you some of the
things that I had told you previously that are written down on these pages,

5

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 22, 1988

decided I would change it a little bit, because I think we should. Sam
started earning money at an early age and Spud alluded to the fact that
he was a Depression baby. Some of us are old enough and came up in that
same era. When he was a small boy, his mother would stay up until the wee
hours parching peanuts so that Sam could sell them at the shipyard to
make extra money. He shined shoes as most of us did that came up in that
era. And we did it for a dime. He had to work his way through school. At
Livingston University, his wife Nellie made sandwiches for Sam to sell in
the dorm to make money so that he could stay in school. He did laundry
for the other students and while working on his master's degree, he sold
Wearever pots and pans.
We're here today to select the second member of this leadership team
to lead us in the next two years and we have the opportunity to select a big
man. Why? He's a big man in stature, but he's an even bigger man because
he cares about people. He's a big man with a big heart. He's a big man with
a big appetite, and for those of you who are joining us for the first time,
you may rest assured that you will be well fed. Sam has a favorite saying
that each of us should take to heart, and should perhaps be that which
guides us for the next two years, because surely this House has its work cut
out for it. That statement is very simply this, "Let's get at it!" That's what
we need to do colleagues is get at it. I don't know when I have, as an
individual, had a greater honor or a greater personal privilege than to
second the nomination of our friend, Big Sam Mitchell, as Speaker pro tem.
Representative Logan seconded the nomination of Representative
Mitchell for Speaker pro tempore.
Representative Logan: Mr. Speaker, Members, distinguished guests,
families and friends. Twelve days ago, I was honored and pleased to stand
here in Caucus to second the nomination of my friend, Sam Mitchell, to
the office of Speaker pro tem of the Florida House of Representatives. I
told you how I respected this man for his honesty, for his compassion. I told
you how my relationship with Sam has been for me a valuable education,
and my constituents are better off today because of it.
I told you how I thought that Sam Mitchell was a man of compassion.
I was reminded of what that really meant the other night when I was
watching an old film about another Democrat, John Fitzgerald Kennedy,
and his successful primary campaign in West Virginia. I think it is fitting
on this day that I express this thought as we formally recognize one of our
new leaders. A lot of people in West Virginia and elsewhere believe that
Senator Kennedy's road to the White House began when he won that
primary election. He won it by getting out there and talking with people,
by listening to people and by really trying to understand what their
problems were, what their hopes and dreams were, and he listened.
Over in District 7, Sam Mitchell's constituents know who he is. They
know their Representative. And that is because Sam spends a lot of time
going out into his District, by talking to his people, by listening to them,
by really trying to understand what their problems are. He listens. He may
be a little more liberal than Jack Kennedy, but he really listens. [laughter]
Sam Mitchell exemplifies those same principles of some twenty-five
years ago that drew a candidate for President into a dialogue with the
people of West Virginia and won their hearts and their votes. They still,
as we do, feel his presence here today.
To me, ladies and gentlemen of this House, Sam Mitchell is a
representative of his constituents in the truest sense of the word and I know
of no higher compliment. And so it gives me a great pleasure today to
second the nomination of the gentleman from the Seventh District, the
Honorable Samuel Mitchell, to the office of Speaker pro tempore of the
1988-1990 Florida House of Representatives. And if we listen, we will all
be better off because of Sam Mitchell. Thank you.
Representative Hill nominated the Honorable Frank Messersmith for
Speaker pro tempore.
Representative Hill: Mr. Speaker, former Mr. Speakers, colleagues,
families and friends, ladies and gentlemen. I have the distinct honor this
morning of placing in nomination the name of a fellow member of the Palm
Beach County Delegation for the office of Speaker pro tempore. This
gentleman told me that he split logs to go to college, but I don't think that's
the case. But, he did graduate from Southern Illinois University with a

degree in communications, which he has used very well throughout his
career here in the House.

Immediately upon graduation, because he had spent spring breaks in
Florida, he moved to Florida and to Palm Beach County. Despite his
humble beginnings as a newspaper reporter for the Palm Beach Post, he
has gone on to bigger and better things. He then worked for the sheriffs
department, becoming an assistant to the sheriff of Palm Beach County.
Then he went into work in the electronics age and worked in computers and
that is the field of expertise he has developed here in the House of
Representatives to the benefit of us all. He first came through the doors
of the House as a Member in 1980 and since that time he has risen through
the ranks of the Republican Party and through the ranks of the House to
a position of leadership, serving in Republican leadership for the last six
years, in the last two as Republican Leader pro tem.
Last year, he was a runner-up for the Allen Morris Award for the Most
Effective in Debate, and those of you who have heard him will understand
that. It is not enough, however, to simply be well-qualified for the job of
Speaker pro tempore. You must have a vision, a vision for where the State
of Florida is and should be. And my colleague that I am going to nominate
does. His vision is based on Florida's gloried past, but with an eye to what
it can be in the future. As we move into the age of electronic
communications, it makes sense to have in leadership someone who is
knowledgeable and, in fact, an expert in that field. It makes sense to have
someone who has worked within this House to build consensus to pass
legislation beneficial to us all. And it makes good sense to elect my friend,
my colleague and my nominee for Speaker pro tempore, Representative
Frank Messersmith.
Representative Mortham seconded the nomination of Representative
Messersmith for Speaker pro tempore.
Representative Mortham: Mr. Speaker, honored guests, and my
distinguished colleagues. It is indeed a pleasure to second the nomination
of Frank Messersmith for the position of Speaker pro tempore of the
Florida House of Representatives. He is a true friend to all Members of this
Legislature, Republicans and Democrats alike. Frank Messersmith
honestly represents all that is sought after in a public servant today:
sincerity, diplomacy, dedication, fairness, expertise, innovativeness and
progressiveness. Representative Messersmith has been on the front lines
during the budgeting debates and his hard work, leadership and
perseverance on the Appropriations Committee has proven his
demonstrated goal of fiscal responsibility. The taxpayers of the State of
Florida can feel very comfortable at night having Frank Messersmith in
their corner. Frank has received many distinctions and awards, but today
is our opportunity to honor him once more. We can salute a man with
genuine character and integrity by casting our vote for our friend, Frank
Messersmith. Thank you.
Representative King seconded the nomination of Representative
Messersmith for Speaker pro tempore.
Representative King: I have a four-hour presentation that I know
you will all enjoy. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, guests, it was two
weeks ago today that from around Florida the voters of this State picked
those of us who now sit in these hallowed halls to represent them. For those
of us who sit in this Chamber, it is our time in history. What we do here
will forever be recorded in the annals of our State.
One of the first things that we must do is to pick those who will lead us
during the critical times ahead. To hold such a position of leadership in this
House requires a special dedication, and, because of the ever-changing pace
and technological advances, special ability. I have risen today to second the
nomination of Frank Messersmith because I believe Frank represents the
rare qualities we need to lead us during the coming term. As a Member of
this House since 1980, Frank has risen within the Minority Party to his
present position as Minority Leader pro tem. Throughout his political
career, he has proven capable of solving difficult problems and of
orchestrating Members to harmonious conclusion in controversial issues.
As an indication of his capability, Frank has always had the respect of
colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Frank has distinguished himself well
beyond the boundaries of this Chamber and the committee rooms that
surround it. He has focused national attention on our State by his proactive
efforts within the American Legislative Leadership Exchange Council or
ALLEC, as we who are Members refer to it. As a result of his untiring

efforts on the national scene, Frank was twice chosen by ALLEC as their
Outstanding State Chairman and he will be installed as President of

6

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ALLEC in July of next year. As a net result, the Florida legislative system
will get enhanced national recognition and coverage. What we will do here
in the next two years will be distributed to all other state legislators and
will serve as a model for elected officials from coast to coast.
Probably more importantly, perhaps, than anything I've already said, a
leader in this Chamber must also possess the unique qualities of
compassion, confidence, equality, and above all, courage. These qualities
are shared by few, but they are proven qualities found in Representative
Messersmith. And so, in conclusion, it is with sincere homage at the outset
of this new term of changes and progress that I have the privilege and honor
to second the nomination of Representative Frank Messersmith, my friend,
for Speaker pro tempore. Thank you.
On motion by Rep. Harris, seconded by Rep. Bronson, nominations
ceased and Representatives Mitchell and Messersmith were declared the
nominees for Speaker pro tempore. When the votes were cast for Speaker
pro tempore, the result was:
Mitchell-73

The Chair
Abrams
Arnold
Ascherl
Bloom
Bronson
Brown
Burke
Campbell
Canady
Carpenter
Clark
Clements
Cosgrove
Crady
Dantzler
Davis
Deutsch
Easterly
Messersmith-47

Albright
Arnall
Bainter
Banjanin
Crotty
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Drage
Frishe
Graham
Grindle
Gutman

Figg
Flagg
Frankel
Friedman
Geller
Glickman
Goode
Gordon
Graber
Guber
Hafner
Hargrett
Harris
Healey
Hodges
Holzendorf
Jamerson
Johnson, B. L.
Johnson, R. C.

Hanson
Harden
Hawkins
Hill
Hoffmann
Holland
Huenink
Ireland
Irvine
Jennings
Jones, D. L.
Juri

Jones, C. F.
Kelly
Langton
Lawson
Liberti
Lippman
Locke
Logan
Long
Mackenzie
Mackey
Martin
Martinez
Mims
Mitchell
Ostrau
Peeples
Press
Reaves

King
Lewis
Lombard
McEwan
Messersmith
Morse
Mortham
Nergard
Patchett
Rehm
Renke
Rojas

Representative Mitchell was declared the duly
tempore for a term of two years beginning today.

Reddick
Ritchie
Roberts
Rudd
Rush
Saunders
Silver
Simon
Sindler
Smith
Tobiassen
Tobin
Trammell
Wallace
Wetherell
Young

Safley
Sanderson
Sansom
Shelley
Simone
Stone
Thomas
Troxler
Valdes
Webster
Wise

elected Speaker pro

On motion by Rep. Kelly, seconded by Rep. Frankel, the Chair
appointed Representatives Cosgrove, Jamerson, Mackey, Tobin, Rudd and
Martinez as a committee to escort Rep. Mitchell and his family to the
rostrum.
Chief Justice Ehrlich administered the Oath of Office to the Speaker pro
tempore.
Rep. C. F. Jones presented the following family members and friends:
Mr. Mitchell's mother, Mrs. Irene Mitchell; his daughter and son-in-law,
Brenda and Ricky Lovett and their children, Herrika and Kristen; his
daughter Sammie Davidson and her daughter, Mandi; his brothers and
their wives, W. G. and Marie "Toogie" Mitchell; and David and Linda
Mitchell; and his wife's brother and sister-in-law, Walt and Kathryn
Henders. Rep. Jones then presented the Speaker pro tempore's wife,
Nellie.
Presentation of Speaker pro tempore
Representative B. L. Johnson presented the Honorable Sam Mitchell,
Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.

Representative Johnson: Mr. Speaker, Members, guests. It is my
honor to present Sam Mitchell as Speaker pro tempore.
Sam was reared with long hours and hard work in the bean fields and
corn patches of west Florida. He went on to play college football,
basketball, and baseball while receiving a master's degree. But he never
forgot the working men and women of his district. Those with sweat on
their brows and mud on their boots; those who pound the hammers and
drive the log trucks.
For generations the people of Washington County have looked to Sam
Mitchell as a tower of strength, to educate their children and guide them
in their careers, to coach them on the playing fields and in the game of life.
Now, we as legislators will draw from his strength to guide us in our
deliberations.
Sam first served the Florida Legislature in a past era as a twenty-six year
old freshman in 1956. Now as Florida emerges as a dynamic international
state, Sam brings with him the knowledge and experience of one who has
led our state across three decades of progress; from farm tractors to high
speed rail, from kerosene lanterns to satellite communications.
He has a love for the institution of the House, not just the rule books and
statutes, but the men and women who bring life to the process. Most
importantly, he has an intense love for his family. They strengthen and
carry him through the darkest of times. His mother Irene, his wife Nellie,
his brothers, children and grandchildren are with us today.
Rather than quote the famous words of men who never had the pleasure
of meeting Sam Mitchell, I have developed a poem, with the help of my
good friend, Don Anchors, to describe the man we all know so well. I believe
it will add some levity to this special occasion:
Today I present our Speaker pro tern,
Simply because I admire him.
Though he pictures himself as another Colonel Sanders,
He's really the House version of Ann Landers.
As a part of this bi-annual political ritual
I present my good friend, Big Sam Mitchell.
Big Sam is known for his country quotes
And his ability to deliver legislative votes.
Though he may be short on big city charms,
At three hundred pounds, he can twist some arms.
His time around the House has been extremely long,
Since 1956, and he's never been wrong.
Recently one night Nellie shouted out,
"Sam, it's late and I hated to shout,
But I heard a noise and it wasn't a mouse;
I'm telling you there's a scoundrel in the house."
Sam quietly exclaimed, and she knew that he meant it,
"Never in the House, but maybe in the Senate."
If television can have someone like Vanna,
Then surely we can have this provider of peanuts from Marianna.
I hate to beg, but I must say, please,
Remember Sam Mitchell represents a lot of pine trees.
Seriously, colleagues, I say without fear,
Sam Mitchell is a friend of everyone here.
My friend, Sam Mitchell.
Remarks by Speaker pro tempore
Speaker pro tempore Mitchell addressed the House as follows:
Thank you Spud (Clements), Willie (Logan), and Chuck (Smith). Of all
the nominations I've ever received, those were the most recent. Seriously
though, I do appreciate everything you said. And every time somebody gets
kind of carried away like you did, I wonder if folks recognize who they're
talking about, especially those who have known me for a long time, because
I have sure come a long way. How far have I come? I've come all the way
from the PLOW to PRO TEMPORE and, folks, you just can't travel much
further than that.
I was bragging to my mother-in-law one time about being a self-made
man and she said, "Sam, if you are a self-made man, that sure does relieve
the Lord of a lot of responsibility." I am thankful, much as I am proud.

Thankful for the many people who have touched my life and helped me
and, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today.

November 22, 1988

7

8 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE

This is Thanksgiving week and I sure do have a lot to be thankful for.
I'd like to spend most of my time thanking those who've helped me so much
in so many ways. First, of course, is my Mama. It all started with her. I
think it's safe to say, that if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here today,
and even the press wouldn't disagree with me on this. There are some
things even the Florida Legislature can't take credit for or blame. They say
that standing behind every successful man, there's a loving mother, a
supportive wife, and a surprised mother-in-law. Well, I've been blessed
with all three, plus two of the finest daughters any father could ever want,
Sammie and Brenda. Mama taught me a lot of things. One thing she taught
me was that I shouldn't run away from my problems. This has probably
helped me more than anything in my political life, 'cause I sure have had
lots of problems, and a lot the last six months.
I remember one time when I was about six years old, my Mama said,
"Sam, get that bucket and go down there to the branch and get some
water." Well, I went down to the branch and come running back in a few
minutes screaming and hollering. And Mama said, "What's the matter,
Sam?" I said, "Mama, there's a gator down in that creek." And Mama said,
"Sam, you get that bucket and you go back down there and get that water.
And remember one thing, that gator's just as scared of you as you are of
him." I said, "Mama, if that gator's as scared of me as I am of him, there's
no point going down to get a bucket of water, it's not fit to drink anyway."
Well, that experience stuck with me and I've been back to the creek
many times since I first came to the Legislature thirty-three years ago.
One of my elderly constituents told me the other day that she was tired
of always hearing people talk about the good old days. She said, "Sam, I
was here, where were they at?" A lot of folks talk about the good old days
in the Legislature. Well, I was here, where were the good old days at? That
was thirty-three years ago when we didn't have any staff, any offices, no
computers, and very, very little salary? I can remember seeing fifteen
representatives standing in line trying to get one secretary to do some work
for them. If that's the good old days, I sure don't want to go back to them.
These are the good old days, right now, and they're gonna be better under
the leadership of Tom Gustafson.
Now, the other main woman in my life I want to thank, of course, is my
wife and my helpmate, Nellie. I was thinking of the old song the other day,
"Wait til the sun shines, Nellie, we'll be happy by-and-by." Well, honey, the
sun is shining, by-and-by, here today, and I'm happy. You've been the light
of my life for thirty-seven years and the sun has never shown brighter in
my life than it's shining right now and I wouldn't be here without you.
Nellie has not only been my strongest supporter but she's always been one
of my best campaigners. I remember one time during a race she was
knocking on doors for me and this person said, "Mrs. Mitchell, I wouldn't
vote for Sam if he was Saint Peter." And Nellie said, "Well, if Sam was
Saint Peter, he wouldn't need your vote. He wouldn't be living in your
district anyway."
Of course, next, I want to thank my children. I heard somebody say the
other day the definition of a teacher was "a person who used to love
children." Well, I'm a teacher and I still love my children. I think they are
the greatest, Brenda and Sammie Jean.
I want to thank all my teachers, and some of them are here this morning.
They taught me a lot about how to make a living, hustle for a dime when
I didn't have one. I want to thank my preachers, especially James Thomas
(Owens) taught me how to make a life.
And I certainly want to thank my friend and our Speaker, Tom
Gustafson. Tom, as I've said before, since I taught you everything you
know, it's really a little awkward for me to brag on you. In all seriousness
and all sincerity though, you've worked harder and longer than anyone I've
ever known of to become Speaker and you, my friend, deserve to be our
leader. And you know how I feel about leadership. I've had this plaque on
the wall in my office for years until somebody stole it last year. It said,
"Except for the lead dog, the scenery never changes." I want to thank you
for the confidence in choosing me to be one of your lead dogs. And I tell
you, the scenery sure does look good up here.
Tom, I know I've got to work to stay up with you. I know it's not going

be easy, but I've lost fifty-five pounds, and I want you to know I'm ready,
Buddy. Of course I'm always joking when I talk about teaching you
everything you know. I'll tell you one thing, you sure have taught me a lot
in the last few years and especially the last few months. You've taught me
what it really means to be committed to a cause, and dedicated to a dream.

I1

E OF REPRESENTATIVES November 22, 1988

They say a person will work eight hours a day for a good salary, twelve
hours a day for a good boss, and twenty-four hours a day for a good cause.
Good government is a twenty-four hour cause for Tom Gustafson. And
Tom, I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that I'm thankful
for your citizenship, your stewardship, your statesmanship, your
leadership, and most of all, your friendship, and I know you're going to be
the greatest Speaker in the history of this great House.
I sure don't want to leave you folks out when it comes to thanking those
who mean so much to me. To you, my colleagues in this House, I want you
to know I appreciate from the bottom of my heart your support, your
encouragement, and certainly your faith in me as a person, as well as a
politician. My Mama used to tell me the best way to show somebody that
you're really thankful for what they've done for you is to commit to do your
best for them.
One time there were three World War II pilots telling war stories-An
American, an Englishman, and a Japanese. The American said, "I flew one
hundred twenty missions and shot down twenty-two enemy planes." The
Englishman said, "I was an RAF pilot and flew ninety-seven missions and
shot down thirty-four planes." The Japanese pilot said, "I was a kamikaze
pilot and flew thirty-seven missions." The other pilots said, "Now wait just
a minute. We know what a kamikaze pilot is. It's a suicide flight, BOOM!
One flight and it's all over. What are you talking about thirty-seven
missions?" And he said, "I was in the program, I just wasn't committed."
I want ya'll to know today that I'm in the program and I'm gonna be
committed, committed to do my best. I'm gonna be committed to do a job
for my constituents over there; I'm gonna be committed to do a job for my
Speaker right here, I'm gonna be committed to do my best for you, my
colleagues out there, and I'm certainly gonna be committed to do my best
for my bi-partisan God up there.
Now, we all know we've been through a whole lot the last few months.
Friendships and relationships have been strained and tested. There have
been some winners and there have been some losers. But if we do what we
ought to do from this point on, all of us will be winners.
You all know my background in coaching and athletics. It seems like I
always go to a sports story when I need to express the deepest feelings of
my heart. I love all sports and I certainly have a special affection for the
Special Olympics for retarded children. Back in 1974, at the close of the
Special Olympic games for retarded children, one of the main events was
the hundred-yard dash. There were three finalists in this main and long-
awaited event. Now, the joy of victory and the pain of defeat for those
children is probably just as great, if not greater, than it is for normal
children, and this was a chance for them to really excel. Anyhow, there was
a hundred-yard dash and fifty thousand people in the stadium cheering at
the top of their lungs. The gun goes off and the three finalists take off down
the track. After about twenty-five yards, there comes a great hush over this
giant stadium because one of the kids had fallen down and, just as she fell,
the other two turned around, reached down, helped her up and they all
three joined hands and finished the race together and, they were all
winners.
Folks, we're gonna be on a fast track the next two years. Tom's gonna
see to it. And all of us are gonna stumble at times, but when we do, if we'll
all reach down and help each other up, and then join hands, we can finish
the race together and we can all be winners-not just for Democrats, not
just for Republicans, but for all the people of Florida. I love you. I thank
you for this great honor. It's time for the race to start. Let's get on with it,
Mr. Speaker.

Election of the Clerk
The Speaker announced that nominations would now be received for
Clerk of the House of Representatives for a term, under Rule 1.3, of two
years from this date.
Representative Gordon nominated Mr. John B. Phelps as Clerk.
Representative Gordon: Dear colleagues, all the Speakers, past and
present, friends and family. John Phelps has probably only been seen by

you all as the "bearded face and bald pate" over the podium, who helps
resolve parliamentary disputes, and from whom you probably get an
occasional terse letter directing you to do "this or that". But he is so much
more, a total, many faceted person that I have known for fifteen years. A
person who has enriched a great many lives along his path of public life.

November 22, 1988 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

John's family settled in what is now Gadsden County in 1828, and the
town of Hawthorne was named after one of his forebears. I'm told Sid
Martin checks up on his relatives now and then. He, along with Jon Mills,
attended Coral Gables High School. I am one of the only seven members
of the House who have been here longer than John Phelps.
Shortly after graduating from Florida Presbyterian College, which is now
Eckerd College, he trained chimpanzees for NASA in the days before the
moon shot. At the Aeromedical Research Laboratory of Holloman Air
Force Base in New Mexico, he had the task to find out how long a chimp
(and presumably, his closest analogue, humans) could be exposed to the
simulated vacuum condition of space and still recover his full functional
physical and mental abilities. Upon receiving the results of the study
NASA approved the first space walk. Some of the wags in the press corps
have observed that this prepared him well for his present position.
Research later took him to Munich where he lived for a year with a German
family while working at the Institute of Physiology on studies involving
firing patterns of nerve cells in the cerebellum, another position that
probably prepared him to deal with our collective cerebellums.
He has authored or co-authored fourteen articles published in American
and German scholarly journals. He plays guitar, country music before
country was cool, as well as classical. He likes rockhounding, has found gold
and rubies here and there; loves woodworking; designed his new kitchen,
and is a scuba diver. He's a self-taught computer programmer, and one of
his most creative programs has been used by the past four Speakers to
assist in organizing the House.
John gives very liberally of his free time as consultant to Girl's State, the
Silver Haired Legislature, and for the benefit of numerous youth and
school groups. He was appointed by the President of the American Society
of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries to serve on a Commission to revise the
country's most widely used manual of legislative procedure. At the time of
his appointment, he was the only commissioner not serving as either a
Chief Clerk or Parliamentarian of a state legislative assembly. The last
three presidents of the American Society of Legislative Clerks and
Secretaries have appointed him to chair the Society's own committee on
Parliamentary Procedures. When I chaired the HRS committee in 1975, his
first legislative assignment was as my assistant staff director. What a staff
that was! What a time that was! We passed a record number of committee
bills that year, thirty-eight. He was there to celebrate the passage of my
first big bill when my office was in the old capitol.
My husband and I have been personal friends of John, Pam and their
children and he has often brought us to tears of laughter with anecdotes
about how he had to approach his job, one of such great responsibilities,
without stepping on sensitive toes. He's also rather mischievous. Ask him
sometime about our HRS staff parties back then. They were doozies. I
asked his staff how they felt about him and every single one of them first
said the word "fair." "He is so fair, Ms. Gordon." And rather than use the
whip to keep his staff in shape they said, "He inspires us, he motivates us
and he pushes us to achieve for ourselves as well as for the House." And,
oh, how they love him. John is dedicated to and feels very deeply about the
role of Clerk, especially weighty is his responsibility to the preservation of
the process. Although some of his answers to you are unwelcomed, he feels
that the process and the institution are more important than the
controversies of the moment.
We can depend on John to preserve the Clerk's office as a refreshing,
non-partisan oasis, where we can all be assured of fair, impartial treatment,
motivation, and comfort in knowing that his goals for Florida are ours. How
lucky we are to have him here with us. It is with great personal pride,
pleasure and humility that I nominate John Phelps as Clerk of the House
of Representatives for the next two years.
Representative Patchett seconded the nomination of Mr. John B. Phelps
as Clerk.
Representative Patchett: Ladies and Gentlemen of the House and
honored guests. It is a distinct pleasure for me to be able to stand before
you here today and second the nomination of John Phelps for Clerk of this
House.
I came to this House in 1976, in the old Chambers. Elaine taught me a

lot there; Allen Morris taught me a lot there. She taught me a lot in
committees. I got to work with the HRS Committee she was speaking of

through a staff request that I made one time, in 19771 think it was, for John
to help me out on a bill. And that's where I learned first the competency
and dedication of Mr. Phelps.
The purpose of this House has always been to serve the people. The
purpose of our Clerk is to serve the Members of this House and therefore,
the people of Florida. It has always been non-partisan, it has always been
truly professional, it has always been truly dedicated. And in the tradition
of Allen Morris, John Phelps-I predict-will be here for a very, very long
time and make Florida even greater in this nation than we are today. It
gives me great privilege to second the nomination of John Phelps, Clerk of
the Florida House of Representatives.
On motion by Rep. Martin, seconded by Rep. Langton, nominations
ceased and a unanimous vote was cast for John B. Phelps as Clerk of the
House. Mr. Phelps went to the rostrum where Chief Justice Ehrlich
administered the Oath of Office to him, using the Bible of his Grandfather.
Remarks by Mr. Phelps
Above all, your Clerk is aware that one should never get between the
House and an early motion to adjourn, so I shall be brief. This being the
only occasion on which the Clerk addresses the House, it seemed
appropriate for me to say a few things about the people in your Clerk's
Office. Most of the Clerk's staff have been with the House for over a
decade. A few have been with us for over thirty years, devoting their entire
working life to this institution. Year in and year out, legislature after
legislature, they apply their craft with a quiet commitment to excellence,
allowing the business of law-making to advance and the memory of this
House to be preserved. In accepting your nomination, I do so in the belief
that it represents, as well, a statement of confidence in this staff. So, for
myself and for the office I represent, thank you for the great honor of
continuing in service to this House.

Designation of Sergeant at Arms
The Speaker announced the designation of Mr. Wayne Westmark as
Sergeant at Arms and requested the consent of the House. On motion by
Rep. Lawson, seconded by Rep. Messersmith, the House consented to the
designation of Mr. Westmark as Sergeant at Arms. Mr. Westmark went to
the rostrum where Chief Justice Ehrlich administered the Oath of Office
to him.
Committee to the Governor
On motion by Rep. Burke, seconded by Rep. Young, the Speaker
appointed Representatives Reddick, Saunders, Wallace, Guber, Irvine and
Graham as a committee to inform the Governor that the House was
organized.
Committee to the Senate
On motion by Rep. Liberti, seconded by Rep. Holzendorf, the Speaker
appointed Representatives Reaves, Hodges, Locke, Deutsch, Crotty and
Rojas as a committee to inform the Senate that the House was organized.
Presentation of New Members
The following new Members were presented to the House: The
Honorable Bob Sindler, District 39, Apopka was presented by Rep. R. C.
Johnson; the Honorable Ben Graber, District 89, Coral Springs was
presented by Rep. Healey; the Honorable Charlie Roberts, District 31,
Titusville was presented by Rep. Goode; the Honorable Tom Mims,
District 45, Lakeland was presented by Rep. Dantzler; the Honorable
David Flagg, District 24, Gainesville was presented by Rep. Ascherl; the
Honorable Steve Geller, District 98, Hallandale was presented by Rep.
Friedman; the Honorable Lars A. Hafner, District 54, St. Petersburg was
presented by Rep. Press; the Honorable Roy Campbell, District 22, Palatka
was presented by Rep. Hargrett; the Honorable Jim Davis, District 64,
Tampa was presented by Rep. Rush; the Honorable Buzz Ritchie, District
2, Pensacola was presented by Rep. Tobiassen; the Honorable Tom
Easterly, District 118, Miami was presented by Rep. Carpenter; the
Honorable George Albright, District 25, Ocala; the Honorable Joseph
Arnall, District 19, Atlantic Beach; the Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart,
District 115, Miami; the Honorable Dick Graham, District 28, Ormond
Beach; the Honorable Bruce Hoffmann, District 114, South Miami; the

Honorable Jeff Huenink, District 58, St. Petersburg; the Honorable Nilo
Juri, District 111, Hialeah; the Honorable Luis Rojas, District 109, Hialeah;

9

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

the Honorable Carlos Valdes, District 112, Miami; and the Honorable R.
Z. "Sandy" Safley, District 50, Clearwater, all were presented by Rep.
Nergard.

Consideration of House Resolution

By Representative Lippman-
HR 1-Org.-A resolution establishing the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Florida:
That the Rules of the House of Representatives adopted for and during
the Regular Session 1988 shall govern the House for the Organization
Session 1988 and thereafter with the following specific exceptions:
(a) Rule 1.10 is amended to read:
1.10-Designation of Majority Leader, Majority Whips
There shall be a Majority Leader and one or more a Majority Whips,
each of whom shall be designated by the Speaker to serve at his pleasure
and to perform such duties as may be assigned by the Speaker from time
to time.
(b) Rule 1.11 is created to read:
1.11-Legislative Records
There shall be available for public inspection the papers and records
developed and received in the course of legislative business as follows:
(a) bills and amendments thereto, resolutions and amendments
thereto filed with the Clerk;
(b) messages and communications received from the governor or the
other house of the legislature;
(c) transcripts or minutes, if prepared, and journal records of all
sessions and meetings, including meetings of committees and
subcommittees and public hearings, with the records of attendance of
members and records of any votes taken;
(d) final reports submitted by committees and subcommittees in
accordance with Rule 6.34 and Rule 6.50; and final staff reports submitted
to committees and subcommittees;
(e) records showing the recorded votes of each member in every session
and every committee and subcommittee meeting in which the member
votes;
(f) reports and findings required by law to be made and submitted to
the House or an officer of the House;
(g) personnel and payroll records of members and employees;
(h) administrative manuals setting forth House policies and
procedures;
(i) fiscal records, accounts, vouchers, invoices and contracts dealing
with the receipt or disbursement of funds by the House as an institution
of its acquisition, use or disposal of services, supplies, materials,
equipment or other property;
(j) all records which are required by these rules or express law to be
made or retained.
(c) Rule 3.2 is amended to read:
3.2-Duties Generally; Keeps Journal
The Clerk shall cause to be kept a correct Journal of the proceedings of
the House, and this Journal shall be numbered serially from the first day
of each session of the Legislature. As Enrolling Clerk, ex officio, and as
Clerk, the Clerk of the House shall superintend the engrossing, enrolling
and transmitting of bills, resolutions and memorials; shall not permit any
records or papers belonging to the House to be taken out of the Clerk's
custody other than in the regular course of business and only then upon
receipt and shall report any missing papers to the Speaker. All such records
in the custody of the Clerk shall be available for public inspection.

(d) Rule 6.1 is amended to read:
6.1-Standing Committees

The Speaker shall, beginning with the Organization Session, appoint the
members of the following standing committees:
Agriculture
Appropriations
Commerce
Community Affairs
Corrections, Probation & Parole
Criminal Justice
Education, K-12
Emergency Preparedness, Military & Veterans Affairs
Employee & Management Relations
Environmental Regulation
Ethics & Elections
Finance & Taxation
Governmental Operations
Health & Rehabilitative Services
Health Care
Higher Education
Highway Safety & Construction
House Administration
Heus*g
Insurance
International Trade & Eeonomie Development
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Public Transportation
Reapportionment
Regulated Industries &-Licensing
Regulatory Reform
Retirement, Personnel & Colleetivc Bargaining
Rules & Calendar
Science, Industry & Technology
Small Business & Economic Development
Tourism & Cultural Affairs
Transportation
Veterans, Military Affairs & Emergency Proparhdness
Youth
He shall give notice of such establishment and appointment in writing
to the Clerk of the House for publication in the Interim Calendar and the
Session Journal.
(e) Rule 6.4 is amended to read:
6.4-Number of Members; ex officio Members
All standing committees, with the exception of the Committee on House
Administration, shall consist of not less than five nor more than thirty-
three members, except that the Committee on Appropriations may have
a maximum of thirty-eight thirty-seven members.
The Speaker pro tempore or, as his designated replacement, the
Majority Leader shall, ex officio, be an additional voting member of each
standing committee. However, for the purpose of quorum, an ex officio
member the Spaker pro tempore shall not be included in the membership
of a committee.

(f) Rule 6.57 is amended to read:
6.57-Conference Committee Membership; Procedures

November 22, 1988

10

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(a) The Speaker shall appoint all House managers for conference
committees. He shall determine the number as need appears. He shall
appoint no less than a majority who generally supported the House
position as determined by the Speaker.
(b) All meetings of all conference committees shall be open to the
public at all times, subject always to the authority of the presiding officer
to maintain order and decorum.
(c) All actions taken in conference committees shall be by motion.
(d) The chairman or, in his absence, the vice chairman of any
conference committee shall give prior notice as soon as practicable of
intention to meet. A notice shall state the date, time and place of meeting
and be posted on the door of the committee managing the conference for
the House.
(g) Rule 7.17 is amended to read:
7.17-Filing Cut-off Dates
(a) No bill or joint resolution originating in the House of
Representatives, except a bill or joint resolution sponsored by a standing
committee, shall be given first reading unless filed with the Clerk by 12:00
noon the first Monday in March of the first day of a regular session. Before
12:00 noon of the first Monday after the first Tuesday in January, there
shall be no limit on the number of bills a Member may file. Thereafter a
Member may file not more than four bills.

(d) Except for the general appropriations bill and matters properly
connected therewith, and bills reenacting laws automatically repealed by
law or statute, no committee bill shall be accepted for filing intreduetion
by the Clerk of the House after 12:00 noon of the first Monday in February
fourth TuesCday of a regular ossin unless accompanied by a certificate of
urgent public need for introduction signed by the committee chairman and
approved by the Speaker.
(h) Rule 8.4 is amended to read:
8.4-Reference: Exception
All bills whether House or Senate, shall be referred by the Speaker to an
appropriate committee except when the bill is being introduced by a House
committee whose jurisdiction embraces the subject of the bill or, if a Senate
bill, the House committee already has a companion bill on the House
Calendar. In such event, said bill shall be referred to the Calendar or to the
Committees on Appropriations or Finance & Taxation as provided in Rule
8.8. Reviser's bills received from the Senate shall be referred to the
Committee on Rules & Calendar.
All bills affe;+ting, pu blic retirement systems shall be referred to the
Committee n Retirement, Personnl & Colltiv Bargaining. If an

amendm(i) Rule 8.15 is amended topub retiread:nt system is adpte
8.15Spn offercial Order from thCalendar: Regular Session

(b) The Committee on Retirement, Personules & Calendar shall submit arann r a
fiscal impact committee, then the bill with amendment may, at the

a Special Order Calendar deterred tomining the priority for consideration of

legislation. & Col eetive Roir iqi i
No other bills shall be
considered for the tie period set forth except tate, to any bill appearing
eemmittee.
(i) Rule 8.15 is amended to read:

on this Calendar may be stricken therefrom by a two-thirds vote of the

Members present or any bill may be added pursuant to Rule 8.14. A
previously adopted Special Order Calendar shall expire upon adoption
of a new Special Order Calendar. Any bill not reached in consideration of
a Special Ordcr Calendar shall be retained on the regular Calendar.

(j) Rule 10.16 is amended to read:

10.16-Lay on Table
The motion to lay on the table shall be decided without debate, provided
that before the motion is put, the sponsor of a bill or debatable motion shall
be allowed five minutes within which to discuss the same, and he may
divide his time with, or waive his right in favor of, some other Member. If
an amendment be laid on the table such action shall not carry the subject
matter with it. The motion to lay n the table may not be made by the
sponsor or mover.
(k) Rule 15.7 is amended to read:
15.7-"Days" Defined
Wherever used in these Rules, a "legislative" day shall mean a day when
the House convenes and a quorum is present will be in session. All other
references to "days" mean "calendar" day.
-was read the first time by title. On motion by Rep. Lippman, the rules
were waived and the resolution was read a second time by title. On motion
by Rep. Crady, the resolution was adopted.
Waiver of Rules for Filing Bills
On motion by Rep. Lippman, the rules were waived to extend the
deadline for filing Member and Committee Bills to March 17, 1989 at 12:00
noon.
Proposed Standing Orders
The following proposed Standing Orders to be established within the
House were read:
1. The Speaker may designate a parliamentarian.
2. Amendments to bills before the Appropriations Committee shall be
limited to appropriations issues and matters properly connected therewith
and technical corrections.
On motion by Rep. Lippman, the proposed Standing Orders were
adopted.

Address by Speaker
It is at this time in the program, where I am-in view of the presentations
and the hour-to make some very brief statements about the organization
of the House. I have been working with many Members of the House to see
that the very process by which we operate is considered by all Members to
be fair. There are moments in time that I very clearly remember Members
standing on the floor-whether it was Representative Martinez in his first
year of service, whether it was Representative Rudd in his first year of
service, and many others-saying "Wait a minute, I didn't get a chance to
contribute my best idea to this product, and it's moving too fast for me to
catch up." One of the efforts I will undertake in every aspect of this House
is to minimize that.
Those Members who want to meet with the Speaker, have an
opportunity to do that. I'll be in my office at 7:00 a.m. every morning
(except Fridays) and the purpose is to discuss one of the four themes of this
administration. We will either be working on the issues of Human Resource
Development, Structural and Natural Resources, Business Growth or
Efficiency and Effectiveness in Government. And those of you who want
to contribute, you need but be there and you will be a major contributor
to the ideas and policies established by this House.
In addition, instead of making the traditional committee assignments,
I am going to limit my assignments to a few. The purpose is not to delay
the speculation and the agony any longer, but to first sit everybody down
as a committee of the whole and ask you "What do you want to do?" One
of the hardest things to do is figure out what you want. Actually, getting
it done is a relatively mechanical and, if time consuming, easy process.
Therefore, as we have sent out notices to everyone, on the 12th, 13th and
14th of December, we will be meeting in a modest location in Broward
County called Bonaventure Spa-Linda Evans advertises for it, if you
catch the fashion magazines-and we are going to sit down in some
relatively comfortable surroundings and discuss what we want to do. We
are the elected Members of this state and it's our job to decide, not only
exactly how we write that law, but what do we want to do as representatives

of the people of this state. And after deciding what we want to do, as a body,
then my intention is to quickly come to closure on the Committee
Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Subcommittee Chairmen and the membership.

November 22, 1988

11

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

At this time, I would like to personally thank my wife, Lynn; my
daughters Rachel and Cortney-Cortney is wearing her red bow today, so
when you see her, tell her for the next two years as she gains consciousness
as a human being, she will gain it in one of the most intellectually
stimulating environments in the world-and that is this Florida
Legislature. She is going to be an extraordinary kid.
I also want to thank my extended family; Lynn's parents, my parents,
brothers and sisters, certainly all the relatives and friends and Members
that I have met over the years. I can't tell you how many times people said
it could not be done this way. I can only tell you how many times I had to
convey to each and every Member-or future Member or past Member-
that it is entirely logical and appropriate for the Florida House of
Representatives to be run in the way I intend to run it for the next two
years.
There are several assignments that I would like to make today, if the
Members being assigned wish to accept those assignments. First, since he's
been functioning in that fashion already for some time, Fred Lippman as
Chairman of Rules & Calendar. Now Rules & Calendar is going to be a
different committee than it's ever been before. If you haven't figured out
exactly the committee assignments you want, and if you haven't sat down
and talked to me about it, I encourage you to do it. Now, Rules & Calendar
will once again function as a full, substantive committee to hear the bills
before they come to the House. And when there are major substantive
changes or amendments to be taken up on a bill, please do it in Rules,
because that way, no one on the floor of the House would be blind-sighted
by an amendment, not knowing where it came from, and why. If you are
going to blind-sight somebody, do it in Rules, and then, at least when it hits
the floor and we are ready to make real policy, you know it's coming and
you can line up your best debate, pro and con.
That substantive role, of analyzing and helping the Members come to
consensus, is a job I think no one better than Fred Lippman can serve.
George Crady, I would like to serve as the Parliamentarian of the House
and, at his request, Vice Chairman of Rules & Calendar. In particular, I
want him to chair a committee called Rules Reform-because between now
and the session coming up in 1989, I want him working together with a
group of Members to come up with further reforms on the Rules of this
House. How can we be more efficient? How can we be more fair? How can
we make sure our best and brightest ideas are the law of this land? How
can we take every problem we find with every constituent and see that that
response is made, not only in your district office, but in this Chamber, in
the Senate and in the Office of the Governor.
George Crady can do this job, there is no one finer who can do this job.
We had a slight problem when we started discussing it. There is, to our
knowledge, no elected Member of any legislative body in the world that is
also the Parliamentarian, but I figured we could break just a few rules in
order to accomplish what is necessary to operate in this House. I believe
Mr. Crady and Mr. Lippman will act as an inseparable team, and in a team
effort, be able to coordinate the efforts, both substantive and procedural,
for the running of the Rules Committee and the running of this House. I
will be seeking Mr. Crady's opinion as to Rules matters as has previously
been done with the Rules & Calendar Chairman.
Representative Anne Mackenzie flew home with me last week on a plane
and flew back, not knowing what she wanted to be. And since she has
already, once before, stood for me, she will be the next Chairman of Finance
& Tax. Representative Spud Clements will be the Chairman of House
Administration. He has helped me through transition and has done an
extraordinary job. Representative T. K. Wetherell will be Chairman of the
Appropriations committee. He is as quick and fast with a dollar and not
spending a dollar as anyone I know. And sometimes, he'll spend it twice
and you won't really know until you add up all the columns. The rule we're
operating under is "If he can hide it, the only person he can hide it from
is everybody but me." And then we will proceed to construct the best
budget we know how, to serve the needs of this state. I believe the
appropriations process is one of the most important things we can
undertake, and he is helping me in expanding the role and the membership
of the subcommittees for the appropriations process to insure that every
dollar is counted and the financial interests of this state are well served.

me to make this decision, I convinced him after a great deal of debate that
he should be the Majority Leader of the Florida House. There is no one
faster, there has been no one more honest with me in the Florida House,
and there has been no one who, initially, supported me less than Keith
Arnold. But I have grown and he has grown and we have grown together.
He is a young man who has much to prove yet in the Florida House, and
to prove to Members that he is capable of this high honor. But I have every
faith in him. If he thinks I'm going to be working twenty-four hours a day,
he's crazy. I'm going home, but he's not married so he will be working
twenty-four hours a day to make up for it. I have had, over the years, many
close associates-Peter Wallace, when I was doing Transportation-I got
credit for it, he wrote the code. Charlie Canady was my subcommittee lead
in Criminal Justice. He did most of the work and I got the credit. I can tell
you, for the next two years as we begin to sell our product to the Senate
(which I think is the most important thing for the Majority Leader to do)
I will try to take the credit, but I want to tell you up front that he is going
to be doing the work.
He will have four Majority Whips, each assigned to a different topic.
Each of them responsible, working with members of the Republican Party,
to see that the issues that we develop will be crafted so as to represent a
consensus of the whole. It is not breaking of arms that I am looking for, it
is the avocation of a position for the benefit of Florida.
Lois Frankel, for Human Resource Development and those six
committees working within that subject area; John Long has Structural
and Natural Resources, again six committees working within that area;
Randy Mackey, Business Growth. He is a former dealer of imported cars.
He understands the international market and he knows that economic
growth is a north, south and central Florida issue. It is something that we
cannot forget as we approach the difficult job of making sure our economy
grows faster than our population. Brian Rush, Government Efficiency and
Effectiveness. The people in Florida will not tolerate us to be inefficient
and ineffective. If they expect us to lead them, we must set that example.
These four Majority Whips, working with the Majority Leader, I hope
will be able to coordinate what will be a diffused system of decision-
making, so that each Chairman knows it is his job to produce the
legislation, agreed to in advance by the issues conference, and carried
through with the assistance of the Majority Whips and Majority Leader.
I look forward to seeing that every bill, every issue, every policy is
approached on a team basis. Because as a team, we will never lose. It is only
when we are able to be divided, it is only when we are able to look at our
own selfish interests as higher than the interests of the whole that we can
lose.
I am looking for the next two years of the Florida House of
Representatives to be the best two years any of you have had in public
office. I am hoping that everybody is going to enjoy their work. I will ask
no one to work harder than they wish to work. But they will all be asked
to volunteer for more work than we have ever done before.
I believe the problems of Florida are complex. They are growing. They
are overcoming our ability to resolve them. And if we will sit down as a body
of one hundred and twenty Members, each and every one of us putting our
best thoughts to work, then we in fact will solve those problems before they
become problems of such crises that we cannot succeed in the resolution
of those issues.
I want to tell you how important the next two years will be for me. It will
be my last two years of public office. My wife and I have had many a
conversation about the importance of our family and the service I have
already made over the last twelve years. After fourteen years, I think it is
time to move on to another job at my home, in my residence in Fort
Lauderdale.
But for the next two years, you've got all I have. And I will work as hard
as I can to make you proud of me. Thank you.
Designation of Dean of the House
The Speaker announced the designation of Representative C. Fred Jones
as Dean of the House.
Remarks by Minority Leader

Keith Arnold thought he was going to be about three or four other things. The Speaker recognized Representative R. Dale Patchett, Minority
When I talked to him several days ago, and probably no one else expected Leader, who addressed the House as follows:

12

November 22, 1988

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House. I would like
to take an opportunity just to say a few things, as is traditional at the
opening ceremony and swearing-in of the Florida House of
Representatives. This is my third time to serve as the Republican Leader
of the Florida House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, you and I started
out together in 1976. We were both elected at that time and there were only
twenty-seven Republicans in the Florida House of Representatives. We
now represent and have forty-seven Members.
We have truly come a long way in this state. We have become a two-party
state, we have become the state of over ten million people (most of those
who have arrived since Representative Gustafson and I have been elected
to this House), we have joint and mutual problems. And we stand here
today, willing to work with you to solve those problems.
The unfortunate part sometimes, about the organization of the House
of Representatives or any political body, is that it comes on the tail-end of
the most emotional period of time of any politician's life, and that is two
weeks after an election. We did not know for sure or settle a couple of those
races until last Friday afternoon. It's hard to understand how you can get
on with the work of the body and the work of the people of Florida, when
you've just left the most emotional straining thing in your life.
We have differences of philosophy. We will be the "loyal opposition." But
it won't be as much of a difference in the philosophy of running this state
as you might think. I stand before you to pledge our cooperation in trying
a new season for this House. In the twelve years I have been here, the only
thing I have really tried to fight for is to open up the process and to let the
Republicans join and participate in that process. To you Mr. Speaker, and
to Mr. Lippman and Mr. Crady, Mr. Clements, Mr. Jones, those who put
so much into these Rules, you have done one excellent job in opening up
that process.
We intend to work in that response, in a responsible and hardworking
manner with you to approach the problems of Florida. The Speaker is
right. No legislative body has tried what this Speaker is trying to do. We
pledge to you that we will work with you, Mr. Speaker, in an attempt to
see if we cannot improve this process of American government. It is one of
the only few in the world where you can elect everybody who comes
together to make your decisions. And that is truly what this Speaker is
trying to do. We in the Republican ranks congratulate you for your efforts
and those efforts in opening up the process. We look forward to working
with the Rules Reform Committee to see if we can improve it further, Mr.
Speaker.
We will probably still, from time to time, have our differences in
philosophy-because that's just the way it works in an American political
system. But we want you to understand, we are ready, willing and able to
help govern the state of Florida. We thank you for the opportunity to let
us participate in a more open system. And in return for that you will find,
we have some very dedicated and talented people that can input to this
process and help you be a good Speaker, Mr. Speaker.
Republican Leadership
Representative Patchett announced the election in Caucus on Monday
afternoon of the following Members to Republican leadership positions:
Representative R. Dale Patchett, Minority Leader; Representative Frank
Messersmith, Minority Leader pro tempore; Representative Bruce
McEwan, Minority Caucus Chairman; Representative Marian Lewis,
Minority Caucus Vice Chairman; Representative Daniel Webster,
Minority Whip; Representative Carol Hanson, Minority Whip;
Representative David L. Thomas, Minority Whip; Representative James
E. King, Jr., Minority Whip; Representative John Renke, Policy

Committee Chairman; Representative Mary Ellen Hawkins, Policy
Committee Vice Chairman.
On motion by Rep. Ostrau, the rules were waived and all organization
remarks were spread upon the Journal.
Resignation of Representative Gene Hodges
The Speaker advised that he had received the resignation of
Representative Gene Hodges of the 11th District, effective November 22,
so that he could accept appointment to the Parole and Probation
Commission, subject to confirmation by the Senate during the 1989
Regular Session of the Legislature.
Pursuant to Article III, Section 15 of the Florida Constitution, a special
election was called by executive order. The first special primary will be held
on December 20, 1988; the second special primary, if necessary, on January
10, 1989; and the special general election on January 17, 1989.
Recognition of Guest
The Speaker recognized former Secretary of State, George Firestone,
who was present in the Chamber.
Rep. Simon moved that, after the benediction, the House adjourn sine
die.

Benediction
Rep. Bloom presented Rabbi Elliott Skiddell of Temple Ramat Shalom,
Plantation, who gave the following benediction:
Our God, God of our ancestors and God of our descendants, we stand
before You today, on the threshold of a new legislative session for this
House, to seek the blessings of wisdom and insight for our legislators and
leadership of our State. We pray that the blessings of health will be
bestowed upon them and their families. We pray that the new Speaker of
the House and all the leadership be endowed with the wisdom and skill to
guide through this body the legislation that will ensure the blessings of
peace and prosperity for all our citizens.
Twenty-five years ago today, at this very hour, a beloved President who
inspired so many to enter lives of service to community and country was
taken from us, but the assassin's bullet could not rob us of the continuing
inspiration of his vision of a better world secure in the knowledge that here
on earth, God's work must truly be our own. That work is the task of
bringing about the perfection of the world through the cooperation of all
people. President Kennedy wrote in his inaugural address, "Let the word
go forth that the torch has been passed to a new generation."
Today, a new leadership is inaugurated for this House. We pray that they
be guided in their endeavors by a sense of what is good, just, true and
righteous. Grant perfect peace to the people of our State, and to our
leaders, legislators and their staffs and families. Let there be grace and
loving kindness, compassion and love for them and for us all. Grant us
fullness of life for You are the fountain of life. Bestow Your loving kindness
upon those who love You and act to bring Your goodness into our world
and let the light of Your righteousness shine forth from those who are
upright in their hearts, so that together we might bring about the
perfection of our imperfect world. And let us all say together, Amen.

Adjournment
Pursuant to the previous motion by Rep. Simon, the House of
Representatives, having completed its organization, adjourned at 1:18
p.m., sine die.

CERTIFICATE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the foregoing pages numbered 1 through 13,
inclusive, are and constitute a complete, true and correct journal and
record of the proceedings of the House of Representatives of the State of
Florida at the Organization Session of the Seventy-fourth House since
Statehood in 1845, convened under the Constitution, held November 22,
1988.

Clerk of the House
Tallahassee, Florida
November 22, 1988

13

November 22, 1988

INDEX

to the

JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Organization Session

November 22,1988

Miscellaneous Subjects

Pages Subject

Pages

LEADERSHIP
Dean of the House designated........
Democratic Leadership designated
Republican Leadership designated

MEMBERS
Certified list ......................................
Oath of Office ...................................
Presentation of newly elected.........
Resignation of Gene Hodges...........

PRAYER; BENEDICTION.

2, 13

.12
.12 PRESENTATION OF GUESTS................................... ............... 3, 5, 7
.13 Firestone, George; former Secretary of State........................................13

...1-2
..... 2
.9-10
i <0

..............................*.......................O

OFFICERS
Clerk; election-remarks by Reps. Gordon and Patchett.................. 8-9
Sergeant at Arms; designation........................................ .............. 9
Speaker; election-remarks by Reps. Lippman, Wetherell,
Clark, Sansom, Thomas and Banjanin............................................ 3-5
Speaker pro tempore; election-remarks by Reps. Clements,
Smith, Logan, Hill, Mortham and King .................................... 5-8

REMARKS
Clerk ................
Minority Leader,

pea er........................................................ .................................... ,

Presentation by Rep. Mackenzie
Speaker pro tempore.......................
Presentation by Rep. B. L. John

RULES
HR 1-Org.; Rules for 1988-1990,
-.. _A -..- 4--

9

12-13
11-12
...... 5
,7

.. n... ... .......... ... ........... .......
ison ..................................*.................7

am en m en s...................................................................... ......... -

Proposed Standing Orders, adopted.
Waiver of Rules for filing bills .........

1

......................................................11
....................................................l
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14

Subject

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	Title Page
	Members of the House of Repres...
	November 1988
	Index

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