Brevard County Commission honors Sen. Hukill following her death

Dave Berman
Florida Today
Florida Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, died Oct. 2 at age 72.

The Brevard County Commission honored the late Sen. Dorothy Hukill with a special resolution last week.

The resolution was introduced by District 3 Commissioner John Tobia, who served with Hukill when they both were members of the Florida House of Representatives.

The resolution recognizes Hukill "for her outstanding commitment to public service, her love and dedication to her family and friends, and her never-ending devotion to her community."

More:Sen. Dorothy Hukill, who died at age 72, had more than a two-decade career in public office

More:Here's what officials are saying about Sen. Dorothy Hukill, who died at age 72

Hukill died Oct. 2 at age 72. Her Senate District 14 included northern Brevard County and southern Volusia County.

"The community that has grown to know and love her suffers a devastating
loss," the resolution read. "She can be remembered as a loving mother, wife and daughter to her family," and for "her dedication to children and education, her kindness to everyone she met, her understanding and sympathy to those in need, her leadership in the state of Florida, and her friendships that span across Florida
and beyond."

Hukill was elected to the Florida Senate in 2012.

Hukill, an attorney, was chair of the Senate Education Committee, as well as vice chair of the Regulated Industries Committee and of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources.

She also was a member of Senate Agriculture Committee, Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee, Health Policy Committee and Transportation Committee, as well as of the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight.

She missed the 2017 legislative session as she was recovering from surgery for cervical cancer.

Prior to becoming a state senator, Hukill served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004 to 2012. She also was mayor of Port Orange from 2000 to 2004; vice mayor of Port Orange from 1998 to 2000; and a Ponce Inlet town councilwoman from 1992 to 1994.

The resolution noted that "as a former elementary school teacher, Sen. Hukill’s passion was education and advocating for children. She served as the chairwoman for the Committee on Education in the Florida Senate and worked to expand the Bright Futures Scholarship, as well as focused on teaching financial literacy in schools."

Tobia, a Republican, said, when he first became a Florida House member in 2008, he was teamed up with fellow Republican Hukill for training, as she already had served four years in the House by then.

"I was extremely fortunate to have worked with her and learned so much from her," Tobia said.

Tobia said Hukill taught him an important lesson: Don't always vote with party leadership on legislation because "sometimes they're right and sometimes they're wrong. But you need to do the research."

Tobia said, even when Hukill bucked party leadership in the Florida Legislature, they didn't take away her committee chair positions.

"I think people were scared of her," Tobia said. "And, I'll tell you what. They should be. Because she was one of the strongest warriors up there. She was one of the most prepared, certainly one of the most intelligent and I think one of the most principled members up there. It was an honor, certainly, to work with her."

Tobia said Brevard County benefited greatly when the redistricting of Florida Senate districts shifted Hukill's district to include northern Brevard, and her loss is a great loss to the county.

County Commission Vice Chair Kristine Isnardi said Hukill "represented us well, and she will be greatly missed. Aside from the hard work that's she's done in our community, representing us well, she's just a fine woman. Brevard County is going to be missing something big."

In comments to county commissioners, Angelique Rinaldi, a legislative assistant based in Hukill's Cocoa office, said Hukill "had a love for Brevard County, a love that only grew during the time she was privileged to represent it. May her family and all of those that knew her and loved her be comforted by her lasting legacy and fond memories."

Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649

or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

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