Submitted by Suanne Z Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
November 7, 2020
The Fernandina Observer has not received official notification of Senator Bean’s new appointment, but we want to offer our congratulations to him and provide our readers with information gleaned from other media sources.
From Renzo Downey article on FloridaPolitics.com:
Senate President-designate Wilton Simpson has selected Sen. Aaron Bean as Senate President Pro Tempore and Sen. Kathleen Passidomo as Rules Committee Chair.
In a memo sent to senators Friday, Simpson asked Senators to vote for Bean and recognize Passidomo for her upcoming role.
Bean, of Fernandina Beach, has served in the Senate since 2012. From 2018 to 2020, he served as the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Chair. From 1996 to 1999, he was a Fernandina Beach Commissioner and Mayor, then from 2000 to 2008, he served in the House of Representatives.
“As you know, Senator Aaron Bean has a contagious energy, boundless compassion for our state’s most vulnerable, and an abiding respect for each person he meets,” Simpson wrote. “First and foremost a family man, devoted to his wife Abby and their boys Bradley, Gray and Walker, Senator Ben brings a diverse range of personal and professional experiences to the Senate that allow him to relate to people from all walks of life and to build consensus without compromising principle.”
Added the incoming Senate President: “There is no question the impacts of the ongoing pandemic will change the look and feel of these next two years in ways none of us could have imagined when we first decided to run for office. Senator Bean’s authenticity, positivity and optimism, combined with his deep knowledge and experience in the legislative process, make him a perfect fit for the critical role of President Pro Tempore.”
Yesterday Bean’s new role was also announced on News4Jax
We have contacted Senator Aaron Bean for a comment that we’ll add to this article upon receipt.
The Senator’s new appointment follows the recent election of his eldest son, Bradley Bean, to a seat on the Fernandina Beach City Commission. Aaron Bean’s father, Lewis “Red” Bean, was a prominent local educator.
Sincere congratulations to Senator Aaron Bean. Many thanks for his service to the Nassau County Community, including his work as secretary to the newly formed Nassau Racial Equity Coalition. (The Coalition is led by our very own Wayne Peterson and Rick Keffer, with Samir Gupte as acting executive director.)
Congratulations going out to Senator Aaron Bean…..keep up the good work!!
Senator Bean has received significant campaign funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Reportedly he is employed by a major hospital as a “Relationship Manager.” It would be interesting to know what Senator Bean thinks about the financial incentives hospitals receive when covID is recorded as the cause of death.