Speaker appoints some top leaders in Florida House

TALLAHASSEE -- House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, named a new crop of lawmakers to two dozen key leadership posts Tuesday, including seven Tampa Bay area Republicans.

Three of the most powerful jobs went to Rep. Bruce Kyle, R-Fort Myers, as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee that writes the budget; Rep. Bev Kilmer, R-Quincy, as head of the Education K-20 Committee; and Rep. Allan Bense, R-Panama City, to run the Procedures Committee that decides which bills reach the floor for passage.

Under Byrd's revamped system, the second most influential House member could be Rep. J. Dudley Goodlette, a Naples attorney beginning his third term. Goodlette, 54, will be Byrd's policy chairman, a role that will thrust him into the center of all major issues. Goodlette also will head a committee made up of the chairs of all House committees.

"He is our intellectual firepower," Byrd said of Goodlette, a former Army intelligence officer who is respected by lawmakers in both parties. He also chairs a select committee on the medical malpractice problem.

Among Tampa area lawmakers, three-term Rep. Sandra Murman, R-Tampa, will chair a budget subcommittee for human services, a task that will demand more scrutiny of the Department of Children and Families.

Women account for one-third of the House leadership posts, or eight of 24.

Rep. Heather Fiorentino, R-New Port Richey, will chair a House committee on the Future of Florida's Families. That is the committee that will consider proposals by Byrd and Gov. Jeb Bush to strengthen families and reduce the state's high divorce rate.

Fiorentino said Byrd emphasized elder affairs and children's issues, and encouraging more faith-based groups to play a role. The House spokesman, Todd Reid, said Byrd has no plans to change Florida's no-fault divorce law.

"It's certainly not a top agenda item," Reid said.

Rep. Frank Farkas, R-St. Petersburg, a chiropractor, will return as chairman of the Health Care Committee, while Rep. David Russell, R-Spring Hill, remains as Transportation Committee chairman. Rep. Leslie Waters, R-Seminole, is the new chairman of a budget subcommittee for transportation and economic development, and Rep. Kim Berfield, R-Clearwater, will replace Waters as chair of the Insurance Committee.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, will chair a House budget panel on public safety.

The House is sorely lacking in experience, with 60 members starting their second term and 30 more starting as freshmen. Byrd referred to the House Tuesday as "the entry-level Legislature."

With a supermajority of 80 other Republicans, Byrd had to create new committees, even though the new speaker is an outspoken critic of "big government." He divided the majority leader's job five ways and handed out new titles to a majority whip, policy chair, conference chair and speaker's liaison.

"He's got a lot of people to satisfy with titles," said Rep. Charlie Justice, a St. Petersburg Democrat.

Byrd defended his decision to double the number of budget subcommittees to eight, saying it will force closer scrutiny of how state money is spent. "Government must learn to live within our means," Byrd said. "All existing spending must be carefully scrutinized."

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