Janet Cruz for State House

Dear Neighbors,

In February of 2010, I was honored to be elected by the residents of District 58 to represent our community in Tallahassee.  I was excited to attend my first legislative session in our state's capital, and I was determined to do everything I could to represent the residents of this community well.  The Florida House of Representatives was faced with many challenges this session, and I am proud of much of the work that we were able to accomplish this year.

I was proud to sponsor and co-sponsor several bills in this year's legislative session.  My first bill was HB 925, a measure that would have strengthened Florida's fight against breast cancer.  This bill required Florida's Breast Cancer Early Detection and Treatment Referral Program to use guidelines that are established by the American Cancer Society.  Breast Cancer affects tens of thousands of women in Florida every year.  It is a brutal disease that robs us of our Mothers, Daughters, and Sisters.  Florida must maintain a strong and effective early detection program in order to help save lives. 

Making sure that our early detection program works well also saves money for the taxpayers.  Diseases like breast cancer are expensive to treat if they are not caught early.  By focusing on prevention and early treatment, we make sure that every tax dollar spent will save us money in the long term.  I believe in supporting programs like these that save the lives of Florida's women and help keep more money in taxpayer's pockets.

Another bill that I am exceptionally proud of is CS/HB 1493, a law that provides penalties for those who help career criminals evade law enforcement.  I believe that it is important to give our law enforcement officers the tools they need to protect our communities.  Career criminal offenders are the most dangerous risk to our community's safety and security.  This law will make it a priority for law enforcement officers to pursue these dangerous criminals and keep them off the street.  I was thrilled to see this bill pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously. 

I am equally as proud of the thirty bills that I co-sponsored during this session.  I joined many of my colleagues in fighting for extended benefits to the families of firefighters who died in the line of duty.  I will always fight to help those who risk their lives for us every day. 

I also co-sponsored and strongly supported a successful bill that helps protect our children from sexual predators.  CS/HB 119 prevents many sexual predators from congregating near places where many children gather.  Parents should feel safe taking their children to the park or to their child care provider.  As a parent, I know how important it is to put our children first.  By passing this law, the state of Florida has done just that.

I have been honored and humbled to serve as your Representative for this legislative session.  As Florida struggles to emerge from this recession and create jobs for its citizens, the residents of District 58 need serious representation in Tallahassee.  It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve you this year and I ask that you send me back to Tallahassee to keep fighting for common sense solutions for our community.