In St. Petersberg Monday Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he is using his executive powers to terminate all local COVID-19 orders, effective immediately. The governor also signed a bill limiting local governments’ ability to shut down businesses and schools during an emergency.
The Governor said, “Over the last year we’ve avoided protracted lockdowns and school closures in Florida because I have refused to take the same approach as other lockdown Governors. This legislation ensures that legal safeguards are in place so that local governments cannot arbitrarily close our schools or businesses.”
DeSantis said that any emergency order issued by a political subdivision must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling public health or safety purpose, must be limited in duration, applicability, and scope in order to reduce any infringement on individual rights or liberties to the greatest extent possible. Also, any order issued by a political subdivision may be invalidated by the Governor at any time if he determines the order unnecessarily restricts individual rights or liberties.
Additionally, the legislation codifies the prohibition of COVID-19 vaccine passports. Governor DeSantis enacted this prohibition through an executive order last month, blocking any business or government entity from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Read the Governor’s Executive Order HERE.