Dennis Baxley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President pro tempore of theFlorida Senate | |
| In office November 22, 2022 – November 4, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Aaron Bean |
| Succeeded by | Jason Brodeur |
| Member of theFlorida Senate | |
| In office November 8, 2016 – November 5, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Keith Truenow |
| Constituency | 12th district (2016–2022) 13th district (2022–2024) |
| Speaker pro tempore of theFlorida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 21, 2006 – June 12, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Leslie Waters |
| Succeeded by | Marty Bowen |
| Member of theFlorida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 2, 2010 – November 8, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Kurt Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Stan McClain |
| Constituency | 24th district (2010–2012) 23rd district (2012–2016) |
| In office November 7, 2000 – June 26, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | George Albright |
| Succeeded by | Kurt Kelly |
| Constituency | 24th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1952-08-22)August 22, 1952 (age 73) Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Ginette Begín |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | College of Central Florida (AA) Florida State University (BA) Miami-Dade College (AS) |
Dennis K. Baxley (born August 22, 1952) is a former state legislator in Florida who served in theFlorida Senate from 2016 to 2024. A Republican, he represented the12th district includingSumter County and parts ofLake County andMarion County inCentral Florida. He previously served in theFlorida House of Representatives, representing parts of Marion County from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2010 until his election to the Senate in 2016. He served on theBelleview City Commission and as its mayor.
Baxley has sponsored anti-LGBT legislation andstand your ground legislation, opposed a two-year moratorium on the sale ofAR-15s, and delayed theFlorida Slavery Memorial. He also opposes theremoval of Confederate monuments and memorials. He was the sponsor of the failedFlorida House Bill H-837, which would have allowed students to sue educators for not tolerating their views, and the successfulFlorida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits the discussion ofgender identity in elementary schools.
Baxley is a fifth-generation Floridian[1] He was born inOcala and attendedCentral Florida Community College, graduating with anassociate degree in 1972. He then attendedFlorida State University, receiving degrees in sociology and psychology in 1974. Following this, Baxley attendedMiami-Dade Community College, where he received a degree in funeral service in 1975. He returned toOcala, where he founded Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services.
Baxley is a descendant of a soldier whofought for theConfederate States of America during theAmerican Civil War.[2]
Baxley was elected to theBelleview City Commission and later served as Mayor.[3]
When incumbentState RepresentativeGeorge Albright, was unable to seek re-election in 2000 due to term limits, he ran to succeed him in the 24th District, which included centralMarion County. He faced George Onett in theRepublican primary, whom he defeated easily, winning 86% of the vote. In the general election, Baxley defeated Judy Johnson, theDemocratic nominee, with 58% of the vote. When he ran for re-election in 2002, he encountered Lida Throckmorton, theLibertarian, whom he defeated in a landslide, with 77% of the vote. Baxley won re-election in 2004 without opposition. In 2006, he faced James Walker, anIraq War veteran and theDemocratic nominee, in his bid for re-election. During the course of the campaign, Walker was called back up for active service inIraq, and considered exiting the campaign, but noted, "I think Marion County would be better off without Dennis Baxley."[4] Baxley ended up defeating Walker by a wide margin, winning 56% of the vote to Walker's 44%.
WhenState SenatorNancy Argenziano resigned from her seat to accept an appointment to theFlorida Public Service Commission, a special election was called to replace her. Baxley and fellowState RepresentativeCharles Dean announced that they would resign from their seats in the legislature on May 1, 2007, to run to succeed her.[5] Over the course of the campaign, Dean attacked Baxley for raising taxes, increasing insurance premiums, and allowing phone rates to skyrocket.[6] Baxley lost to Dean in theRepublican primary, receiving 44% of the vote to Dean's 56%.
WhenKurt Kelly, who replaced Baxley in theFlorida House of Representatives in a 2007 special election, opted to run for theUnited States House of Representatives rather than seek re-election, Baxley ran to succeed him. He won theRepublican primary unopposed, and faced Michael Hageloh, theDemocratic nominee and a businessman. This was Hageloh's first run for political office and his campaign was overwhelmingly self-funded. Baxley campaigned on his experience and institutional knowledge, saying, "I believe in recycling, so I guess I'm the green candidate. I believe I can recycle some of the experience I've learned and go there and make a difference for Marion County."[7] Baxley defeated Hageloh in a landslide, winning 64% of the vote to Hageloh's 36%.
When legislative districts were redrawn in 2012, Baxley was moved into the 23rd District, which contained most of the district that he previously represented in the 24th District. He won both the primary and general elections unopposed. In 2014, Baxley was re-elected to the House without opposition.
While serving in the legislature, Baxley sponsored astand-your-ground law that attracted attention in 2012 whenGeorge Zimmerman killedTrayvon Martin. Despite this, however, Baxley did not feel as though the legislation applied to the case, noting, "I still don't think it applies. Nothing in this statute authorizes 'pursuit, confront, provoke.'"[8]
Baxley announced that he intended to run for theFlorida Senate in 2016 to replace term-limited senatorCharles Dean, who defeated him in 2007.[9] Baxley won his three-way Republican primary by just 633 votes. He faced no opposition in the general election.[10]
In 2019, Baxley sponsored legislation that would require public schools to teachskepticism about evolution andabout climate change.[11]
In May 2019, Baxley was reported to use theReplacement theory in relation to theabortion debate in the United States.[12] Speaking of Western Europe birthrates as a warning to Americans, he said; "When you get a birth rate less than 2 percent, that society is disappearing, and it’s being replaced by folks that come behind them and immigrate, don’t wish to assimilate into that society and they do believe in having children."[13]
During the 2021Florida Legislature session, Baxley filed the controversial billSenate Bill 86.[14] The bill, in its original form, required students to pursue a degree from an approved list of degrees that lead to jobs. Failure to do so could lead to reduction inBright Futures students received. Proponents of the bill claimed it could help bring the world of education and work closer together. Opponents argued that the bill would remove choice in degree[15] for lower income students and push the highest performers away[16] fromFlorida colleges andFlorida universities. The bill went through several revisions,[17] slowly removing some of the more controversial language as it went through thecommittee process. Opposition came largely from students who would be affected.[18] The Florida Senate voted 22-18 favorably on a final version that would create a job dashboard and put Bright Futures into general appropriations. The bill, however, died in the Florida House of Representatives.[19]
In 2022, Baxley introduced a controversial bill into the Senate. The bill is known informally as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through grade 3.[20][21] The legislation has been opposed by theAmerican Bar Association,[22]Equality Florida,[23] and PresidentJoe Biden.[24] Despite that, in February 2022, the bill passed theFlorida House. The House version of the bill (HB 1557) then passed the Florida Senate in March 2022, with Baxley in full support.[25]
A devoutSouthern Baptist, he is a father of five including two adopted children.[1]
{{cite web}}:|last= has generic name (help)| Florida House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Speaker pro tempore of theFlorida House of Representatives 2006–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Florida Senate | ||
| Preceded by | President pro tempore of theFlorida Senate 2022–2024 | Succeeded by |