Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds is facing questions about his incoming administration’s policy direction after appointing the founder of a billionaire-funded conservative think tank, known for pushing to weaken child labor protections and tighten access to government assistance, to a leadership position on his transition team.
On November 9, Donalds announced that Tarren Bragdon, president and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), would serve as the transition team’s policy chair. The appointment gives Bragdon a role in developing policy and budget priorities before Donalds takes office on January 5, 2027. Bragdon’s organization has spent years advocating for changes to food assistance, unemployment benefits, Medicaid and workplace regulations.
Bragdon, a former Republican state lawmaker in Maine, founded the Naples-based organization in 2011. FGA has since expanded its influence through research, advocacy, and a lobbying affiliate known as the Opportunity Solutions Project. Its stated mission centers on encouraging employment, reducing reliance on government benefits and limiting regulations that the group considers unnecessary.
That mission has also made FGA a major player in efforts to change laws governing teenage workers. A 2023 Washington Post investigation, based partly on emails and legislative records, found that the organization helped shape proposals in several states. In Arkansas, it played a central role in a law ending state work-permit and age-verification requirements for employees younger than 16.
Florida followed with its own changes. Records reported by Orlando Weekly showed FGA personnel were involved in drafting a proposal introduced by Republican state Rep. Linda Chaney. The initial bill sought broad exemptions from restrictions on working hours for 16- and 17-year-olds. After revisions, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 49 in March 2024.
The final law, effective that July, allows teenagers ages 16 and 17 to work more than 30 hours during a school week with a qualifying waiver from a parent or school official. It also permits work on more than six consecutive days and changes meal-break requirements. Existing limits on late-night work before school largely remained, making the enacted version narrower than the original proposal.
FGA argues that such measures give families more control over teenagers’ employment. In defending the Arkansas legislation, foundation vice president Nick Stehle said the goal was to remove barriers “while removing the permission slip that inserts government in between parents and their teenager’s desire to work.” Labor advocates counter that loosening oversight can complicate enforcement and expose minors to exploitation.
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Food assistance is another major area of FGA activity. The organization has advocated stricter work requirements, eligibility checks, and purchasing restrictions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called SNAP or food stamps. A 2025 KFF Health News investigation documented its involvement in Idaho’s 2023 work-requirement changes and Iowa restrictions that affected eligibility.
Supporters argue these policies protect public funds and encourage financial independence. Critics warn that people with inconsistent work schedules, transportation barriers, or administrative difficulties can lose assistance even when they remain in need. FGA has also backed proposals affecting Medicaid, unemployment compensation and public-sector unions, extending its reach well beyond Florida.
Money behind the think tank has drawn attention as well. Investigative reporting identified the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, associated with billionaire Republican donor Richard “Dick” Uihlein, as a significant supporter. Tax-record analysis by journalist Jason Garcia found that the foundation supplied roughly $15.3 million of FGA’s nearly $49 million raised between 2017 and 2021.
Political contributions provide another connection. Records published by the Friends of Byron Donalds committee list two $1 million contributions from Uihlein in 2025. They also show $10,000 from Tarren Bragdon and $47,000 from Anna Bragdon in 2026. Those are contributions to a political committee, not proof of direct donor control over the incoming administration.
Donalds says his administration will prioritize affordability and opportunity. Bragdon expressed confidence in the transition, saying, “I’m honored to help him and his team make it happen from Day One.” The transition leadership also includes chairman Manny Kadre, executive director Ryan Smith, and senior adviser Teresa Ressel.
The appointment does not establish that Donalds will adopt every FGA position. However, putting the group’s founder in charge of transition policy gives a longtime advocate of stricter benefit rules and looser labor regulations a prominent seat at the table as Florida’s next governor prepares to govern.
