Bradenton state senator outlines plans for senate president role

State Senator Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, who helped write and usher in statewide legislative insurance reforms, has been named president-elect of the Senate for the the 2026-28 legislative session.

The chairman of Bradenton-based Boyd Insurance & Investments, Boyd is currently senate majority leader.

Boyd was first elected to the Florida Senate in 2020 and was reelected in 2022 and 2024 to represent District 20. The district includes Bradenton, Parrish and the northern point of Longboat Key, in addition to portions of Hillsborough County east of Interstate 75. Prior to the Senate, Boyd spent eight years in the Florida House. 

In his address to the Senate Caucus, Boyd said he has a vision for Florida where “every person has the chance to prosper,” where “families feel safe in their neighborhoods” and where businesses are empowered to grow.

“We will protect the rights of parents and strengthen our schools. We will stand firmly with law enforcement to keep our communities safe. We will conserve Florida’s natural beauty so that it endures for generations,” Boyd said. “These are not just policies, they are commitments.”

His family has a history in Tallahassee: His grandfather, Hugh Boyd, and uncle, Wilbur Boyd, both served in the Florida House of Representatives as democrats. (Wilbur Boyd founded Boyd Insurance in 1974)

The President of the Senate is elected by fellow senators. The role includes selecting a Majority Leader, appointing senators to committees, appointing committee chairs and appointing citizens to boards and commissions.

“Jim always works to build consensus and has spent countless hours with Senators on both sides of the aisle exploring and talking through ideas to make legislation stronger and bring tough and complex issues across the finish line,” current Senate President Ben Albritton said during an Oct. 14 ceremony marking Boyd’s nomination.