Seven pieces of legislation sponsored by former Rep. Joel Rudman were withdrawn Thursday, after the Navarre Republican exited the state House amid a run for a congressional seat.
Rudman resigned effective Wednesday from the House as he seeks to succeed former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz in Congressional District 1. A special primary election will be held Jan. 28, with the special general election April 1.
Though he was leaving the Legislature, Rudman filed six bills and a proposed constitutional amendment. Perhaps the highest-profile bill (HB 31) would have allowed people to openly carry firearms in Florida.
He also filed a bill ( HB 79 ) on Monday that would increase the penalties for animal cruelty from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony if the person commits the crime during a declared state of emergency.
Rudman filed the bill almost three months after a 5-year-old bull terrier, now named Trooper, was found tied to a fence along Interstate 75 in Tampa as category 4 Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida.