Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed former state senator Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, to the Board of Governors of the State University System. A respected leader in the Florida Legislature served as the Senate Appropriations Committee chair until he left the Legislature in 2024 due to term limits.
- “As a leader in education reform, Senator Doug Broxson has stood by my side as we acted to support parental rights, eliminate DEI, reform tenure, and invest in teacher salaries,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud to appoint Senator Broxson to the Board of Governors, and I know he will continue his great work to ensure Florida remains the number one state in the country for higher education.”
Background: The Board of Governors is comprised of seventeen members, fourteen of whom are appointed by the Florida Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate for a term of seven years. The remaining members include the Chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, the Commissioner of Education, and the Chair of the Florida Student Association. The Board oversees the operations and management of the Florida public university system’s 12 institutions, including the University of West Florida. Broxson Patricia Frost, a Board member since 2010 whose most recent term ended on Jan. 6, 2024
Douglas Broxson: Broxson is the President of Doug Broxson Insurance in Gulf Breeze. He served in the Florida House of Representatives representing Districts 1 and 3 from 2010 to 2016, and in the Florida Senate representing District 1 from 2016 to 2024. He is a member of the Gulf Breeze Rotary Club and the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. His appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Legacy
In June 2024, Inweekly interviewed Broxson about his legacy. When asked to identify what bill stood out in his mind, he cited a license plate. He spent nearly three years passing legislation to bring the popular Blue Angels license plate to fruition.
The reduction of tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge marked another triumph for Broxson. The state of Florida bought the bridge for $130 million and lowered the tolls from $5 to $2.75 for the general public and from $4.50 to $2.30 for SunPass holders.
Broxson also addressed the abuse of insurance agreements known as assignment of benefits. The bill established consumer protections for property insurance policies and curtailed the exponential growth in the assignment of benefits abuse that contributed to the rising insurance costs for Floridians.
- “I would venture to say anything that’s been positive that’s been said about this administration for a year and a half, Sen. Broxson has had some role,” Mayor D.C. Reeves shared for the article. “Whether that’s a direct role in all those grants that you hear about and the advocacy for those, or just good mentorship when we’re dealing with something like parking. Whatever the case may be, Sen. Broxson has answered the bell.”
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