Vicki Lopez
Vicki Lopez | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 113th district | |
| Assumed office November 8, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Nick Duran |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican[1][2] |
| Alma mater | University of Notre Dame |
Vicki Lopez is an American politician. She serves as a Republican member for the 113th district of the Florida House of Representatives, first elected in 2022[3] by securing 51 percent of the vote.[4]
Early life
[edit]Lopez was born in Tampa, and raised in Fort Myers. She attended the University of Notre Dame.[3] She is a longtime activist who today runs Miami-based VLL Consulting. She is a former member of the Lee County Commission and served under three Governors, specializing in education, criminal and juvenile justice.[3]
Political career
[edit]In November 1990, Lopez was elected to the Board of County Commissioners for Lee County, Florida. She resigned in January 1993.
In 1997, Lopez was wrongfully[5] convicted for honest services mail fraud and sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. Her sentence was commuted by President Bill Clinton in November 2000, after serving more than 15 months. The conviction was vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in February 2011.[6][7][8] Lopez’s experience led to a lifetime of activism in criminal justice reform, assisting others who have faced wrongful convictions and working for better public policy. She has worked on programs to assist inmates in reentering society and managing the negative stigmatism often associated with a criminal conviction, whether warranted or falsely accused.[3]
After her release, Lopez worked as an advocate under Governor Jeb Bush, specializing in criminal justice reform. She also took up leadership roles with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.[9]
In August 2022, Lopez returned to elected office, defeating Alberto Perosch in the Republican primary election for the 113th district of the Florida House of Representatives.[10] In November 2022, she defeated Alessandro D'Amico in the general election, winning 51 percent of the votes.[11]
As an elected official, Lopez has sponsored and passed numerous bills on behalf of the constituents of District 113. In the aftermath of the Surfside Condominium Collapse of 2021,[12] residents of Miami-Dade County expressed great concerns over condominium safety. Lopez introduced and passed HB 1029, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, which went into law on July 1, 2024.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Lopez married Sylvester Lukis in 1994.
Lopez's son, Donald Wolfe III, was the Chief of Staff for Miami City Mayor Francis Suarez.[14][15]
Lopez owns and runs VLL Consulting, a Florida-based government and public affairs firm.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Geggis, Anne (June 22, 2022). "Vicki Lopez's exit from Senate race shakes up HD 113 contest". Florida Politics. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ Kirkland, Jordan (July 18, 2022). "Vicki Lopez's HD 113 campaign gains support from South Florida Council of Firefighters". The Capitolist. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Vicki L. Lopez". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "Florida Department of State's Election Reporting System". Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. v. Lopez-Lukis". Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ Alvarado, Francisco. "Former Lee County Commissioner Vicki Lukis Is No Longer A Convicted Felon". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ "Vicki Lopez-Lukis [4] · Clinton Digital Library". clinton.presidentiallibraries.us. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ "'Honest Services' Conviction Vacated for Former Lee County Commissioner Vicki Lopez Lukis". www.businesswire.com. 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ Scheckner, Jesse (2022-11-09). "Vicki Lopez returns to elected office for the first time in decades with HD 113 win". Florida Politics. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ "2022 Florida State House - District 113 Republican Primary Results". USA Today. August 23, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "2022 Florida State House - District 113 Election Results". USA Today. November 8, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ "Surfside condo collapse investigators provide key insights into possible causes of the disaster". Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program". Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Rowe, Sean. "When Vicki Met Syl, Part Two". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ "Government Relations". www.miamigov.com. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
- ^ wpengine (2020-10-15). "VLL Consulting LLC". coralgableschamber.org. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
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