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Portrait of Joe GrutersPhoto: flsenate.gov

FL · Officeholder

Joe Gruters

RState Senator · District 22

Biography

The Florida Senate website lists Joe Gruters as the District 22 senator for 2024-2026; Gruters was first elected to the Senate in 2018, after serving in the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 to 2018.[1]

According to the Florida Phoenix, Gruters was elected chair of the Republican National Committee on August 22, 2025, and said then that he planned to remain in the Florida Senate while heading the RNC.[2] Gruters is a certified public accountant who was born in Tampa and chaired the Sarasota County Planning Commission.[1] Gruters holds a B.S. from Florida State University (1999) and an MBA from the University of South Florida (2003).[1]

  1. 1.Joe Gruters - Florida Senate member biography · Florida Senate Official record
  2. 2.Joe Gruters: From 'golden ticket' to Republican National Committee chair · Florida Phoenix · 2025-08-22 News report

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-19.

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned

  • Jobs & cost of living10 with · 0 against10 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/Executive Office of the Governor

      Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/Executive Office of the Governor; Re-creating the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund within the Executive Office of the Governor; specifying that moneys are appropriated to the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund by the Legislature or pursuant to a specified provision; requiring that federal reimbursements of state emergency expenditures be deposited in a separate account within the fund; prohibiting moneys in the fund from being used to purchase aircraft, boats, or motor vehicles, etc.

      Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 27–12 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Utility Services

      Utility Services; Requiring that certain public meetings be held as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of a new or extended agreement under which a municipality will provide specified utility services in other municipalities or unincorporated areas; requiring municipalities that provide specified utility services to report certain information by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring the commission to compile such information and submit a report by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature;…

      Mar 13, 2026 · Passed 30–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Naturopathic Medicine

      Naturopathic Medicine; Creating the Board of Naturopathic Medicine within the Department of Health; prohibiting unlicensed persons from practicing naturopathic medicine or promoting, identifying, or describing themselves using specified titles or abbreviations; providing for licensure by examination of naturopathic doctors; providing for licensure by endorsement of naturopathic doctors; revising continuing education requirements for naturopathic doctors, etc.

      Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 33–3 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All jobs & cost of living votes
  • Rights & public safety3 with · 0 against3 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Criteria for Determining Criminal Gang Membership

      Criteria for Determining Criminal Gang Membership; Revises definition of term "criminal gang member"; defines "gang-related language."

      Mar 10, 2026 · Passed 29–9 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Career Offender Registration

      Career Offender Registration; Requiring a certain driver license or identification card marking for a career offender; requiring a career offender to report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in a certain month to obtain an updated or renewed driver license or identification card; providing that if a sanction is not imposed upon a career offender, such offender is deemed to have been released upon conviction; requiring certain career offenders to report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and obtain a driver license or identification card containing a…

      Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 36–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel

      Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel; Requires offices of criminal conflict & civil regional counsel to provide notice to court in certain circumstances; authorizes courts to appoint office of criminal conflict & civil regional counsel from another region to represent defendant if certain requirements are met; requires court to appoint private counsel under certain circumstances; requires JAC to pay appointed office of criminal conflict & civil regional counsel for due process costs & services, subject to legislative appropriation; requires appointed counsel to provide…

      Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 36–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All rights & public safety votes
  • Climate & energy2 with · 0 against2 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Utility Services

      Utility Services; Requiring that certain public meetings be held as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of a new or extended agreement under which a municipality will provide specified utility services in other municipalities or unincorporated areas; requiring municipalities that provide specified utility services to report certain information by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring the commission to compile such information and submit a report by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature;…

      Mar 13, 2026 · Passed 30–6 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All climate & energy votes
  • Health & care2 with · 0 against2 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association

      Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association; Requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to recover from the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association specified costs incurred by Medicaid; revising the exclusiveness of rights and remedies of the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan; revising services eligible for compensation under certain annual benefits under the plan; requiring family members of plan participants to continuously maintain certain health insurance coverage for the participant; revising…

      Jan 28, 2026 · Passed 9–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Naturopathic Medicine

      Naturopathic Medicine; Creating the Board of Naturopathic Medicine within the Department of Health; prohibiting unlicensed persons from practicing naturopathic medicine or promoting, identifying, or describing themselves using specified titles or abbreviations; providing for licensure by examination of naturopathic doctors; providing for licensure by endorsement of naturopathic doctors; revising continuing education requirements for naturopathic doctors, etc.

      Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 33–3 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All health & care votes
  • Housing & rent2 with · 0 against2 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Housing for Veterans

      Housing for Veterans; Creating the “Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program Act”; establishing the Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in certain counties, subject to legislative appropriation; requiring a landlord to submit to the contracted program administrator required documentation within a specified time period to apply for funding; authorizing a landlord to apply for up to a specified dollar amount from the funds, etc.

      Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 36–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Citizens Property Insurance Corporation

      Citizens Property Insurance Corporation; Prohibiting the corporation from issuing new coverage for commercial residential and commercial nonresidential risks under certain circumstances; requiring the corporation to establish a personal lines clearinghouse for specified purposes; revising the rights and responsibilities the corporation has in establishing the program; requiring that certain risk information be aggregated and deidentified; authorizing applicants or insureds to elect to accept coverage with authorized insurers or elect to accept or continue coverage with the corporation under…

      Mar 4, 2026 · Passed 33–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All housing & rent votes
  • Education & families1 with · 0 against1 vote

    Most contested

    • Yes

      School District Unimproved Real Property

      School District Unimproved Real Property; Requiring school districts to annually submit complete inventories of unimproved real property owned by the district to the Department of Education; requiring the department to compile and publish such data in a statewide report, etc.

      Mar 11, 2026 · Passed 33–4 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All education & families votes
  • Foreign affairs & defense1 with · 0 against1 vote

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Housing for Veterans

      Housing for Veterans; Creating the “Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program Act”; establishing the Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in certain counties, subject to legislative appropriation; requiring a landlord to submit to the contracted program administrator required documentation within a specified time period to apply for funding; authorizing a landlord to apply for up to a specified dollar amount from the funds, etc.

      Mar 5, 2026 · Passed 36–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

    All foreign affairs & defense votes

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 0 of 7 party-divided votes on file.

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

SJR 2F · FL SENATE

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes

Not votingNO VOTE

Motion: A - 229942, Amendment, Second Reading

A yes vote adopted an amendment making the joint resolution's property-tax changes expire December 31, 2031, after which Article VII, Sections 4, 6 and 9 would revert to their pre-2027 text. (AI-written)

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes; Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to revise the limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, to increase the homestead exemption, to provide a limitation on the use of ad valorem taxes levied by counties and municipalities, and to provide an effective date, etc.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Failed 11–22·Substantive·Jun 2, 2026Roll call ↗
SJR 2F · FL SENATE

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes

Not votingNO VOTE

Motion: D - 102912, Amendment, Second Reading

A yes vote replaced the joint resolution with a version limiting annual assessment increases on non-homestead real property to 10% and requiring relief capping assessments at 4% to 6% of household income for owners earning under $150,000. (AI-written)

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes; Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to revise the limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, to increase the homestead exemption, to provide a limitation on the use of ad valorem taxes levied by counties and municipalities, and to provide an effective date, etc.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Failed 11–24·Substantive·Jun 2, 2026Roll call ↗
HJR 1F · FL SENATE

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes

Not votingNO VOTE

Motion: Third Reading

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes; Proposes amendments to State Constitution to revise limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, to increase homestead exemption, to provide limitation on use of ad valorem taxes levied by counties & municipalities, & to provide an effective date.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 30–9·Substantive·Jun 2, 2026Roll call ↗
SJR 2F · FL SENATE

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes

Not votingNO VOTE

Motion: A - 682580, Amendment, Second Reading

A yes vote would replace the ballot statement with one describing a homestead exemption rising from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, a 5% cap on non-homestead assessment increases, and limits on local spending of property-tax revenue. (AI-written)

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes; Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to revise the limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, to increase the homestead exemption, to provide a limitation on the use of ad valorem taxes levied by counties and municipalities, and to provide an effective date, etc.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Failed 12–21·Substantive·Jun 2, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 7040 · FL SENATE

Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/Executive Office of the Governor

YesVOTED

Motion: Returning Messages

Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/Executive Office of the Governor; Re-creating the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund within the Executive Office of the Governor; specifying that moneys are appropriated to the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund by the Legislature or pursuant to a specified provision; requiring that federal reimbursements of state emergency expenditures be deposited in a separate account within the fund; prohibiting moneys in the fund from being used to purchase aircraft, boats, or motor vehicles, etc.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 29–7·Substantive·Mar 13, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1451 · FL SENATE

Utility Services

YesVOTED

Motion: Returning Messages

Utility Services; Requiring that certain public meetings be held as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of a new or extended agreement under which a municipality will provide specified utility services in other municipalities or unincorporated areas; requiring municipalities that provide specified utility services to report certain information by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring the commission to compile such information and submit a report by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature;…

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 30–6·Substantive·Mar 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 628 · FL SENATE

Transportation Facility Designations

YesVOTED

Motion: Returning Messages

Transportation Facility Designations; Providing honorary designations of certain transportation facilities in specified counties and a specified municipality; directing the Department of Transportation to erect suitable markers; revising a specified interchange designation, etc.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 31–4·Substantive·Mar 13, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 167 · FL SENATE

Former Phosphate Mining Lands

Not votingNO VOTE

Motion: Third Reading

Former Phosphate Mining Lands; Provides conditions for cause of action against certain former phosphate mine sites; authorizes landowners to record certain notice of former phosphate mines; specifies requirements for such notice; requires DOH to conduct gamma radiation surveys of former phosphate land parcels upon petition; requires that specified documentation of radiation levels be submitted in certain civil actions related to phosphate mining.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 32–4·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1451 · FL SENATE

Utility Services

YesVOTED

Motion: Third Reading

Utility Services; Requiring that certain public meetings be held as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of a new or extended agreement under which a municipality will provide specified utility services in other municipalities or unincorporated areas; requiring municipalities that provide specified utility services to report certain information by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring the commission to compile such information and submit a report by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature;…

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 29–6·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 824 · FL SENATE

School District Unimproved Real Property

YesVOTED

Motion: Returning Messages

School District Unimproved Real Property; Requiring school districts to annually submit complete inventories of unimproved real property owned by the district to the Department of Education; requiring the department to compile and publish such data in a statewide report, etc.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 33–4·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 35 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.