He graduated from Shafter High School, attended Bakersfield College, and earned his bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA, where he was student body president.

He has served as Chairman of numerous committees with jurisdiction over food and agriculture; water, parks and wildlife; banking, commerce and international trade; and government oversight.

In 2002, as Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Florez led an investigation into the state's software $95 million, no bid contract with Oracle.

SB 700 required permits for agricultural sources that annually emit a certain number of tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and/or volatile organic compounds (VOC), depending on the air basin.

[8] Upon leaving the California State Senate, Florez became the president of the 20 Million Minds Foundation, where he focused on reducing obstacles associated with higher education in the U.S. with access to free and affordable textbooks.

He worked to establish public and private partnerships that increased access and affordability to open source materials for college students.

With deep ties to local, state, and federal leaders, Balance Public Relations has built a foundation with policymakers and stakeholders that has spanned three decades.

Over the years, Florez has demonstrated industry-specific expertise in risk management and policy strategy for marketplace startups in the sharing, gig, on-demand, peer-to-peer and collaborative economy.

Florez is regarded as a trusted advisor to key internal and external stakeholder groups ranging from executive teams and management, to C-suite, board of directors, investors, and policymakers.

[10] Florez has distinguished himself as an advocate for some of the most vulnerable environmental justice communities by fighting for clean air policies and for taking bold action on climate change.