In 1982, I had decided to retire from the Legislature after 8 years of service, perhaps a little less than the norm. My reasons were personal (to raise a young family) and professional (to comply with an important professional services contract to a major Florida developer). There was a political consideration (to reflect on a possible campaign for Governor in 1986), but it was secondary to the other two. In any event, by most political standards I had rendered myself a lame duck for my final legislative session in 1982. I really do not think that was the case–consider:
1. As of only 1 of 2 Senators in Florida history(the other legendary Senator Ken Myers of Miami) , I con-currently chaired the Florida Senate Health and Rehabilitative Services Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee funding Health Care, Social Services, Offender Rehabilitation, and the Judiciary (responsible for approximately 1/3 of the entire state budget).
2. I was elected Chairman of the Dade-Monroe Legislative Delegation representing 32 members of the Senate and House of Representatives–the largest in the state, by far.
3. I was considered a close confident of incumbent Governor Bob Graham (D., Miami Lakes) and Lt. Governor Wayne Mixson (D., Mariana), especially on issues related to the two committees above and environmental issues.
4. I passed a landmark bill affecting the statutory definition of “Brain Death,” which was adopted approximately 30 years before the heralded “Karen Quinlan” controversy.
5. After the 1982 Session, I was appointed by Governor Graham to Chair a major task force to review the state’s ability to fund indigent care, after the from Mariel Boatlift in 1980. Two years later the legislature adopted the task force recommendations., most of which became law.
For me at least, that final year of public service was anything but that of a lame duck.
