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Former Florida House Speakers Bense and Weatherford Launch REBUILD 850 Initiative to Help Promote Panhandle Recovery

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Effort Will Keep Florida Panhandle Needs “Front and Center” and Encourage People to Donate, Volunteer, Visit, and Invest

Former Florida House Speakers Allan Bense and Will Weatherford, joined by a diverse group of dedicated partner organizations, today launched REBUILD 850, a new initiative to keep the continuing needs of communities in Florida’s Panhandle “front and center” following Hurricane Michael. The group issued a challenge for individuals, businesses, and organizations to donate, volunteer, visit, and invest to help the region, with Bense kicking off the effort by contributing $25,000 to the new initiative.

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Montford Dedicates First Commerce and Tourism Committee Meeting to Hurricane Recovery Efforts

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Senator Bill Montford, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, will lead the committee’s first meeting on hurricane effects and recovery efforts across the business community in Florida.
“Hurricane Irma was a catastrophic storm, the likes of which Florida has never seen,” said Senator Montford. “We continue to face the long and complicated process of recovery statewide, from our businesses and tourist industry, the school systems, to agriculture and infrastructure, there was not an entity left untouched. It is important that we focus on fully understanding the impacts so that the Legislature can stand with local governments, businesses and citizens on the road to recovery. I have invited several representatives from the business community, as well as the governmental entities that focus on commerce and economic development to our first meeting. I also welcome all of my Senate colleagues to attend and participate in the panel discussion if they have questions specific to their districts. Vice Chair Gainer and I are committed to ensuring that Hurricane Irma will not stunt economic development in Florida.”
The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet on Monday, October 9th in Senate Office Building Room 110. The panel will consist of representatives from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida United Businesses Association, CareerSource Florida, Visit Florida, Florida Small Business Development Center Network, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The panelists will provide a brief overview of the impacts of the storm as well as efforts in recovery, and will be prepared to answer specific questions from Senators.
Senator Bill Montford
Senator Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee) represents the Florida Senate’s third district, which includes the following counties: Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla. Senator Montford was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and subsequently re-elected in 2012 and 2016. He serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Vice Chair of Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities and member of Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Pre-K – 12 Education, Health Policy and Rules.