Senator Cruz - The Florida Senate

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District Office

210A S. MacDill Avenue
Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 348-1017
Senate VOIP: 41800
FAX (888) 263-3681

Legislative Assistants

John Learn, Deborah Martin, and Beatriz Zafra

Tallahassee Office

216 Senate Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
(850) 487-5018
Senate VOIP: 5018

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Florida Senate Service

2020-2022
2018-2020

2020-2022

Senator Janet Cruz

Party: Democrat

Committee Assignments

District 18

Maps:

Report:

2010 Census Demographic Profile (pdf)

Consists of part of Hillsborough county

Bills Introduced

Introduced in 2021

S 26 Relief of the Estate of Crystle Marie Galloway/Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Also referred to Judiciary; Health Policy; Rules
S 28 Relief of Clemente Aguirre-Jarquin by the State of Florida
Last Action: 2/2/2021 Withdrawn prior to introduction
S 172 Medical Marijuana Identification Cards for Service-disabled Veterans
Last Action: 12/15/2020 Referred to Health Policy; Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; Appropriations
S 174 School Safety Funding
Last Action: 12/15/2020 Referred to Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations; Rules
S 176 Postsecondary Fee Waivers
Last Action: 12/15/2020 Referred to Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
S 178 Public School Transportation
Last Action: 12/15/2020 Referred to Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
S 202 Standard High School Diploma Award Requirements
Last Action: 12/15/2020 Referred to Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
S 222 Abandoned Cemeteries
Last Action: 2/22/2021 Now in Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development
S 782 Educational Opportunities for Veterans
Last Action: 1/28/2021 Referred to Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
S 784 Legislature
Last Action: 1/28/2021 Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Criminal Justice; Rules
S 786 Prescription Insulin Drugs
Last Action: 1/28/2021 Referred to Banking and Insurance; Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services; Appropriations
S 788 State Contracting
Last Action: 2/26/2021 On Committee agenda-- Governmental Oversight and Accountability, 03/03/21, 12:00 pm, 37 Senate Building
S 834 Drinking Water in Public Schools
Last Action: 2/4/2021 Referred to Education; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Rules
S 1360 Energy Security and Disaster Resilience Pilot Program
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Referred to Regulated Industries; Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Appropriations
S 1494 Public Meetings During Declared States of Emergency
Last Action: 2/22/2021 Filed
S 1528 Vote-by-mail Ballots
Last Action: 2/22/2021 Filed
S 1558 Offenses Against Members of the Press
Last Action: 2/23/2021 Filed
S 1586 Family and Medical Leave Insurance Benefits Fund
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Filed
S 1594 Public Records/Inspector of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Filed
S 1596 Employment Practices for Family and Medical Leave
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Filed
S 1600 Public Construction Contracts
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Filed
S 1640 Online Access to Reemployment Assistance Program
Last Action: 2/24/2021 Filed
S 1764 Recycling of Organic Waste Material
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed
S 1774 Bottled Water
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed
S 1776 Fees/Bottled Water Companies
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed
S 1778 State Symbols
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed
S 1780 Emergency Drills in Public Schools
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed
S 1784 Lewd Adult Battery
Last Action: 2/26/2021 Filed

Co-Introduced in 2021

S 194 Crimes Evidencing Prejudice
Last Action: 2/18/2021 Now in Appropriations
S 242 Student Health Services
Last Action: 12/21/2020 Referred to Education; Appropriations Subcommittee on Education; Appropriations
S 260 Services for Veterans and Their Families
Last Action: 2/25/2021 On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, 03/02/21, 4:00 pm, 37 Senate Building
S 370 Assault Weapons and Large-capacity Magazines
Last Action: 1/11/2021 Referred to Judiciary; Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Appropriations; Rules
S 510 State Funds
Last Action: 2/18/2021 Now in Appropriations
S 538 Use of Epinephrine Auto-injectors on Public K-20 Campuses
Last Action: 2/17/2021 Now in Health Policy
S 596 Preemption of Tree Pruning, Trimming, and Removal
Last Action: 1/28/2021 Referred to Community Affairs; Judiciary; Rules
S 624 Guidance Services
Last Action: 1/28/2021 Referred to Education; Commerce and Tourism; Appropriations
S 650 Tethering of Domestic Dogs and Cats
Last Action: 2/26/2021 On Committee agenda-- Agriculture, 03/03/21, 12:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
S 704 Entertainment Industry
Last Action: 2/16/2021 Now in Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Personal & Career

Legislative Service

Elected to the Senate in 2018
House of Representatives, February 23, 2010-2018
- Minority Leader, 2016-2018
- Democratic Deputy Whip, 2010-2012

Honors and Awards

Aetna Healthcare, National Financial Account Manager
CIGNA Healthcare for Seniors Group Sales, Regional Director
CIGNA Healthcare Optical Operations, Director
Fourth Generation Tampa/Ybor City Resident
Pearle Vision Center, owner
American Cancer Society, Freshmen Legislator of the Year Award, 2010
Community Health Charities of Florida, House Member of the Year Award, 2010
Italian Club Ladies Auxiliary, Italian American Woman of Excellence, 2010

Affiliations

FBI Citizens' Academy Alumni
Hillsborough Community College Alumni Foundation
NAACP
National Association of Latino Elected Officials
Tampa Latin Chamber of Commerce
West Tampa Chamber of Commerce
Women In Government
Hillsborough County Democratic Hispanic Caucus, past Chair
Paint Your Heart Out Tampa, past board member
United Way Campaign CIGNA Healthcare, past Corporate Chair

Biographical Information

Occupation:	Optician/Healthcare Executive
Spouse:	Dr. Stephen "Steve" Rifkin
Children:	Ana Cruz, Raymond "Nick" Cruz, Stephen Rifkin, Laura McCauley
Grandchildren:	Madison McCauley, Peter McCauley, Teresa McCauley
Education:	Hillsborough Community College, A.A., Opticianry Dispensing, 1977
Born:	in Tampa, Florida
Religious Affiliation:	Catholic
Recreation:	Gourmet cooking, tarpon fishing, watercolor, writing

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