Bio

Representative Zapata was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in November of 2002 and has been reelected subsequently.  He represents District 119, which includes the cities of Florida City, Homestead, and Sweetwater as well as the communities of West Kendall, Horse Country, Country Walk and Redland.  He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Healthcare Council and on the Policy and Budget Council. He also serves on the Committees on Agribusiness, Business Regulation and sits on the Select Committee on Autism and Developmental Disorders and Condominiums and Homeowners Association Governance. Rep. Zapata also serves as the Chairman of the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation.           

In the Florida Legislature, he has fought to increase access to higher education, improve nutritional standards in K-12 schools, protect the rights of condominium owners, ensure high standards for medical professionals and non-profit hospitals, and has passed legislation promoting agricultural business and tourism.  He has been a champion for international trade and biotechnology. In 2003, he united his colleagues in establishing the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus, where he served as Chairman from 2005 until 2007.  The Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus has given over $100,000 in scholarships.

In his district, he has worked alongside his community to help schools, local businesses, and homeowners associations in activities ranging from book bag drives, food distributions, and charity events. He also championed reading efforts and along with other educational stakeholders established Read 2 Succeed, a non-profit organization, which hosts afterschool tutoring programs in order to help parents and teachers develop reading programs and activities.

He was named Legislator of the Year by the Florida Sheriff’s Association, the Florida Dental Hygiene Association, the Realtor Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches, the Florida Pharmacist Association and was awarded the Honor Roll Award by the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

His election to the Florida Legislature is the latest of a series of public service positions that include having been elected to the West Kendall Community Council and serving as Chairman.  He has been appointed and has served on numerous boards, such as the Miami Dade Planning Advisory Board, the Equal Opportunity Board, Municipal Advisory Board and the City of Miami Youth Advisory Board.

On a national level, he serves as Vice Chair for the Labor and Economic Development Committee of National Council of State Legislators and sits on the Executive Committee for National Hispanic Council of State Legislators. He is currently a member of the board of National Association of Latino Elected Officials and serves as Vice Chair for National Conference of Hispanic Legislators.

He graduated from Florida International University with a degree in Finance and International Business.  He is a recipient of the University’s distinguished Torch Award for his community service and is a Lifetime Alumni member.

Born in 1966 and arriving from Colombia in 1978, the Representative is the first South American to serve in the Florida Legislature. Representative Zapata lives in West Kendall and is involved in business development as well as consulting.