April 29, 2026
GrayRobinson is pleased to share the Government Affairs and Lobbying Section hosted its "2026 Legislative Session Wrap-Up" at The University Club of Tampa, bringing together clients and colleagues for a behind-the-scenes overview of the 2026 Florida Legislative Session.
GrayRobinson Government Affairs Advisors Chris Dawson, Ryan Matthews, and Robert Stuart provided insights on key developments from the session, major policy outcomes, and what these changes mean moving forward.
Chris is a shareholder and government affairs advisor in GrayRobinson's Orlando and Tampa offices focusing on government affairs, lobbying, environmental, land use, transportation, and construction matters. A designated professional lobbyist and licensed engineer in training with dual degrees in law and civil engineering, he represents utilities, developers, contractors, local governments, and statewide associations before the Florida Legislature, executive branch, and political subdivisions on infrastructure, environmental, and construction policy matters. He led government relations efforts for Gulf County during and after Hurricane Michael and lobbied the state to implement a $100 million statewide LiDAR and coastal mapping program. He has been named a 2026 News Service of Florida Forty Under 40 honoree and serves on the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.
Ryan is a shareholder and deputy section chair of the firm’s Government Affairs and Lobbying Section. Located in GrayRobinson's Tallahassee office, he focuses on environmental, land use, local government, and utilities matters. He represents major electric, water, and wastewater utilities, dozens of local governments, and statewide associations, including the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities, on environmental resource permitting, water supply, and regulatory and legislative matters. Before joining GrayRobinson, he served as secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under the Rick Scott Administration, overseeing 3,000 employees and a $1.6 billion budget, led Florida's successful delegation of the Clean Water Act Section 404 program — making Florida only the third state in the nation to achieve that status — and chaired the Central Florida Water Initiative.
Robert is a senior government affairs advisor in GrayRobinson's Orlando and Tallahassee offices, focusing on government affairs and lobbying. A designated professional lobbyist, he represents local government entities, including law enforcement offices, school boards, airport authorities, and clerks of courts, and Fortune 500 companies before the Florida Legislature, the Executive Office of the Governor, the Florida Cabinet, and state agencies on matters spanning economic development, education, transportation, insurance, and local government. He serves as board chair of Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando and Osceola County, chairs the Orlando Economic Partnership Legislative Affairs Committee, and is an executive board member of Florida Citrus Sports.