July 28, 2026
GrayRobinson is pleased to share the Government Affairs and Lobbying Section hosted its "Virtual 2026 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up," 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, Joseph Salzverg, and Robert Stuart led the virtual event and 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 the firm’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.
Joseph is a shareholder in the firm's Miami and Tallahassee offices, focusing on government affairs and lobbying, land use, and real estate matters. With more than a decade of experience in Florida's political and public policy arenas, he has served as a campaign manager and political consultant to several members of the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation dating back to the 2010 election cycle. He lobbies Florida's legislative and executive branches of government on issues including food manufacturing and distribution, growth management and construction, healthcare, insurance and financial services, local government, regulated industries, transportation, utilities, vessels and waterways, and appropriations, and represents clients before local governments on procurement, land use, and general government matters. He is a commissioner-appointed member of the Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board, serves on the board of the WOW Center, and is incoming chairman of the board of the Zoo Miami Foundation. Joseph has been named to Best Lawyers in America’s Ones to Watch list from 2021-2026 and as a Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2022-2026.
Robert is a senior government affairs advisor in the firm'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.