JOE G. TEDDER
Authored, Introduced & Managed passage of the Public Charter Schools Law – 1996
Allowed for the creation of autonomous performance-based public schools that are held accountable to the provisions outlined in their contract or charter. By design, charter schools allowed for more public school choice, innovative learning opportunities, and the ability to get out from under unnecessary rules and regulations.
Sponsored the Elimination of the Solvents Mixture Tax – 1996
Required Florida to do away with its Solvents Mixture Tax, which was applied to consumer products such as household cleaners. Prior to its elimination, the Department of Revenue called this tax “one of the most cost-ineffective taxes to collect and administer because it covers too broad a base and it was unclear which products (were) subject to the tax!”
Sponsored Federal Financial Assistance Act – 1995
Required Florida to track federal dollars through administrative accounting transactions, reflecting the receipt or expenditure of federal funds by state agencies and the judicial branch.
Sponsored Radon Legislation – 1995
Allowed Florida’s counties, including municipalities, to implement their own radon protection programs. Without this legislation Polk County would have been subject to an unworkable state mandate.
Sponsored Learnfare Legislation – 1995
Leanfare linked public assistance to children’s attendance in school and encouraged parents to be more involved in their children’s education.
Co-Authored Performance & Accountability Program – 1994
Changed the legislature’s budgetary process and the way state agencies operate. The program focused on results, setting up standards to measure results and giving people the tools they need to get the job done.
Sponsor Of Innovations Legislation – 1994
Set up a fund for state agencies, so they could invest in programs and/or equipment that were innovative and proven to have a positive cost benefits to the taxpayer.
Sponsored Character Based Education – 1994
Allowed local school boards to set up voluntary character development programs to instruct students in the common duties and obligations necessary for a moral society, such as honesty, truthfulness, sobriety, the work ethic, etc.
Introduced and Passed Check Identification Legislation – 1994
Provided customer convenience by allowing merchants to use a driver license number to establish identification instead of eight separate points of identification.
Sponsored Uniform Commercial Code Legislation – 1993
Repealed certain provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code relieving bulk purchasers from out-dated publication provisions.
Sponsored Contractor Legislation – 1993
Amended the law to more clearly define what activities do not require a state contractor’ s license.