Message from the CEO: Moving Business Forward
Governor DeSantis has expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to Floridians younger than 65 who have high-risk medical conditions through Executive Order 21-47. The Governor has also prioritized all public school teachers K-12, 50 years and older,with the opportunity to recieve the vaccine. Additionally, the order allows physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to vaccinate people who are deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. Vaccinations are available at Walmart, Publix, and CVS pharmacies. This does not include the state and county-run vaccination sites.
Johnson and Johnson received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine this past weekend and has already begun shipping doses throughout the United States. The approval makes this the third authorized vaccine in the US. Johnson and Johnson plans to have 20 million total doses by the end of March with 100 million by the end of June. The vaccine only requires one dose, instead of two, and is easier to store.
Today marks the beginning of the annual Florida 60-day Legislative Session in Tallahassee. As of today, 2,555 bills have been filed covering a variety of issues. The Boca Chamber is strongly advocating for the passage of the following pieces of legislation during this session:
COVID-19 liability protections for businesses and health care providers Florida Senate Bill 74 & Florida House Bill 7
Extending the funding for VISIT FLORIDA Florida Senate Bill 778 & Florida House Bill 675
Sales tax collections from online retailers or marketplace facilitators Florida Senate Bill 50 & Florida House Bill 15
Tax Refund Program for Qualified Target Industry Businesses Florida Senate Bill 982 & Florida House Bill 6071
Film, Television, and Digital Media Targeted Rebate Program Florida Senate Bill 0704 & Florida House Bill 757
You can view the entire Boca Chamber Business Legislative Agenda. This agenda outlines the issues the Chamber is advocating for on behalf of the business community of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County.
Additionally, the Florida Chamber of Commerce has released its annual Where We Stand Business Agenda. The agenda outlines key issues facing Florida’s business community for the coming year, which includes some of the legislation mentioned above. As always, the Chamber encourages you to reach out to your local state legislative delegation and share your support for the passage of these business-critical pieces of legislation.
Looking for a quick way to find an event, register for an event, and receive pop-up notifications of important Chamber, County, City of Boca Raton, and City of Boynton Beach information? Download the Boca Chamber App – found on the App Store and Google Play Store. Keep your Chamber at the tip of your fingers! You can also stay up to date on all Chamber activity by visiting us at bocachamber.com. We continue to provide you with valuable educational webinars, along with virtual and in-person experiences. Most are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button to find out when new content is posted on our channel. Below is a list of our upcoming virtual and in-person experiences:
3/2 – 12:00 p.m. Virtual International Business Alliance Roundtable Topic: Global Ventures: South Florida’s Soft-Landing Center for International Entrepreneurs Speaker: Andrew Duffell, MBA, President, Research Park at Florida Atlantic University Click here to register
3/3 – 4:30 p.m. 2021 Virtual Young Entrepreneurs Academy Investor Panel Competition Watch students in grades 6-12 pitch their business ideas to a panel of industry leaders for the chance to win startup money during the program’s annual YEA! “Shark Tank” style event! Don’t miss this opportunity to watch the next wave of entrepreneurs and job creators! Click here to register
3/5 – 8:30 a.m. Virtual PRIME Professionals Group Sponsored By: Allegiance Home HealthTopic: Keep Your Loved One Independent Speaker: Rosie Inguanzo-Martin, President & CEO, and Joe Martin, Vice President & Owner, Allegiance Home Health Click here to register
3/10 – 12:00 p.m. Virtual Boynton Beach Lunch and Learn Sponsored By: iTHINK Financial Topic: Be the CEO of Your Success: 3 Game-Changing Strategies to Maximize your 2021 Results Speaker: Patricia Cimino, Certified Coach for Entrepreneurs Click here to register
3/11 – 7:45 a.m. In-Person Membership Breakfast Sponsored By: Virgin Design Topic: Step into the Center: Update on the Boca Raton Center for the Arts & Innovation and How it’s Set to Make Waves in Our Local EconomySpeaker: Andrea Virgin, President, Boca Raton Center for the Arts & InnovationLocation: Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle in Boca Raton Click here to register
3/11 – 11:30 a.m. Virtual Government Affairs Committee Meeting Topic: Business in D.C. Speaker: Moore Hallmark, Vice President, Regional Affairs and Advocacy Congressional and Public Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Click here to register
The Chamber’s next in-person breakfast will be on Thursday, March 11th at the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. Andrea Virgin, President, Boca Raton Center for the Arts and Innovation will share updates on the highly anticipated new cultural center coming to Boca Raton. extra space here Seating is limited, so register early for this amazing event.
The Chamber’s Tourism Committee is comprised of local hospitality professionals in the restaurant, retail, and hotel industries. At its most recent meeting, the group shared a combined positive outlook on the current state of lodging and dinning within our region. The hoteliers noted a sharp increase in occupancy through both leisure and business travel and restauranteurs noted an increase with in-person dinning. This positive news from our tourism industry, in combination with the approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine, are all positive indicators that our economy is in recovery mode. Consumer confidence is increasing, and commerce is flowing once again in our community.
Together, we continue to Move Business Forward in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County, making our region the best place to Live, Work, Learn and Play.
Moving Business Forward,
Troy M. McLellan, CCE, FCCP
President & CEO
Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce
#movingbocaforward #movingboyntonforward #movingdelrayforward
