Rep. Priscilla Taylor

Opening Doors

As the owner of an insurance agency in West Palm Beach and the Democratic Whip for the Florida House of Representatives, Priscilla Taylor has one goal in mind. “Basically, everything I‘ve done is geared around helping others and trying to help them be better,” she says. “Insurance is such an industry. It affects most parts of our lives: health, car, life, home, all of these are necessary. If you don’t have the education as to how they are used and what the benefits are, unfortunately, some unscrupulous agents may take advantage of that, but I sell to the need.”

In the same way, Taylor says she tries to use her role as Representative for the benefit of disadvantaged people. “Look at what just happened with the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe,” she says. “I take it upon myself to become involved, to try to pass laws to help people who are disenfranchised, to help give them the support they need to lead meaningful lives.”

Representative Priscilla Taylor is a native Floridian, born and raised in Ft. Pierce. She was elected to the Florida House of Representatives November 2004 with more than 25 years of business experience in the insurance industry. Prior to being elected to the House of Representatives, she was elected to the Commission of the Port of Palm Beach for two four-year terms. 

“In my business, when I first became involved in insurance, we didn’t have women doing what I was hired to do,” says Taylor. “I even had a gentleman tell me it really irritated him that they gave me the job because there were men with families to support who could have used the job. Things have gotten better, thank God. I look at my own struggles as opening doors for women who come after me. Politically, however, I get the respect I would want; gender has not been a hindrance.”

Taylor has served on numerous committees including claims, domestic security, insurance, the joint select committee on hurricane insurance and the legislative committee on intergovernmental relations. She has been the sponsor of several bills and co-sponsor of dozens more, including insurance reform, environment, health care, human and civil rights, education and adoption.

One of her sponsored bills, Required Instruction in the Public Schools, proposed the development and adoption of a character-development program in all Florida public schools in grades kindergarten through 12.

Taylor sponsored another education bill that would amend student progression in public schools and eliminate certain mandatory retention requirements determined by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

In addition, her bill on personal injury protection insurance proposed authorizing health care providers to use biometric time date technology for information, documentation and electronic signature purposes. This type of technology uses computer-based biological imprints capable of identifying an individual.

Taylor recognizes the civic and social responsibility of being a minority professional and the importance of being active within the community.  She was co-founder of the Greater Palm Beaches Business and Professional Women’s Club and has also served as the Southeast District Governor of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women. She is a graduate of Leadership America and Leadership Palm Beach County.