Senator Cruz - The Florida Senate

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Contact:

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

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

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2018-2020

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 2020

S 20 Relief of Angela Sozzani by the Department of Children and Families
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Special Master on Claim Bills
S 66 Student Loans and Scholarship Obligations of Health Care Practitioners
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
S 96 Educational Opportunities for Veterans
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
S 98 Medical Marijuana Identification Cards for Service-disabled Veterans
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Health Policy
S 116 Prescription Insulin Drugs
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government
S 166 Charter Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Education
S 168 Drinking Water in Public Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government
S 220 Abandoned Cemeteries
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Messages
S 304 School Safety Funding
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 370 Safe-school Officers
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Education
S 382 Transportation Facility Designations
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 430 State-licensed Driver and State Identification Cardholder Information
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 492 Public Notification of Pollution
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Environment and Natural Resources
S 532 Developmental Disabilities
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs
S 730 Tampa General Hospital’s Advanced Organ Disease and Transplantation Institute
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died, not introduced
S 964 Education Staff Professionals
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died, not introduced
S 1096 Bottled Water
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Environment and Natural Resources
S 1098 Fees/Bottled Water Companies/Department of Environmental Protection
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Environment and Natural Resources
S 1162 Legislature
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Judiciary
S 1194 Employment Practices
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Commerce and Tourism
S 1196 Coverage for Epinephrine Injectors for Children
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Banking and Insurance
S 1320 Postsecondary Fee Waivers
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
S 1410 Public School Transportation
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Education
S 1550 High School Graduation Requirements
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
S 1712 Emergency Drills in Public Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 1720 Florida Safe Drinking Water Act
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government
S 1724 Health Care Regulations
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Banking and Insurance
S 1770 Education
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Education
S 1920 The Florida Aquarium
Last Action: 2/26/2020 Adopted -SJ 335
S 1924 Public Schools Week
Last Action: 2/26/2020 Adopted -SJ 336

Co-Introduced in 2020

S 46 Eye Care for Newborns and Infants
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Banking and Insurance
S 58 Prescription Drug Donation Repository Program
Last Action: 2/12/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 177 -SJ 266
S 78 Transportation-related Facility Designations
Last Action: 6/30/2020 Approved by Governor
S 90 Discrimination in Labor and Employment
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Commerce and Tourism
S 100 Dispensing Medicinal Drugs
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died on Calendar
S 104 Services for Veterans and Their Families
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations
S 114 Risk Protection Orders
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 120 Naloxone in Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Rules
S 154 Human Trafficking Education in Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Messages
S 158 Child Restraint Requirements
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Rules
S 190 Health Care for Children
Last Action: 3/10/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 81 -SJ 581
S 192 Sales Tax Exemption/Independent Living
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Finance and Tax
S 206 Prohibited Discrimination
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
S 214 Philosophies that Espouse Superiority
Last Action: 3/5/2020 Adopted -SJ 420
S 332 Land Acquisition Trust Fund
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations
S 372 Postsecondary Education for Certain Military Personnel
Last Action: 3/4/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 171 -SJ 382
S 392 Equal Rights for Men and Women
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Judiciary
S 416 Insurance Coverage for Breast Cancer Tests and Procedures
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Health Policy
S 518 Cardiac Screening for Newborns
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services
S 530 Entertainment Industry
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Innovation, Industry, and Technology
S 602 Open Educational Resources Grant Program
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
S 622 Emergency Allergy Treatment
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Health Policy
S 678 Native Language Assessment in Public Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Education
S 718 Domestic Violence
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Infrastructure and Security
S 752 Emergency Sheltering of Persons with Pets
Last Action: 3/5/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 705 -SJ 419
S 994 Guardianship
Last Action: 6/19/2020 Chapter No. 2020-35
S 1006 Coverage for Hearing Aids for Children
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Appropriations
S 1044 Animal Cruelty
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Rules
S 1290 Solar Schools
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Innovation, Industry, and Technology
S 1306 Individual Retirement Accounts
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Rules
S 1482 Domestic Violence Services
Last Action: 2/26/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 1087 -SJ 341
S 1586 First Responders Suicide Deterrence Task Force
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Rules
S 1592 Florida Working Families Tax Rebate Program
Last Action: 3/14/2020 Died in Commerce and Tourism
S 1628 Holocaust Education
Last Action: 3/10/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 1213 -SJ 635
S 1696 Student Athletes
Last Action: 3/4/2020 Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 7011 -SJ 402

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:	Opticianry Dispensing, Hillsborough Community College, 1977
Born:	July 7 in Tampa, Florida
Religious Affiliation:	Catholic
Recreation:	Gourmet cooking, tarpon fishing, watercolor, writing

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