Latest Headlines
- FDOT Plans Traffic Shift Thursday In Century Highway 29 Construction Zone
- Molino Man Charged With Throwing Object, Breaking Windshield Of Passing Car
- ECUA Considering Water, Sewer And Sanitation Rate Increases
- Highway 4, Highway 168 Bridges Across North Escambia Remain Closed. Here’s An Update.
- Free Summer Lunch Available For Youth At Libraries In Escambia County
- AAA: Florida Gas Prices Dropped 18 Cents In 10 Days
- Potential Sinking Of SS United States Under Consideration For Escambia County As Artificial Reef
- M-Braves Sweep Blue Wahoos
- Two-Time Super Bowl Champ Inspires Local Youth Athletes (With Photo Gallery)
- Century Woman Charged With Meth Possession After Traffic Stop
DeSantis Signs Bills Preventing Vaccine Mandates For Businesses, Schools In Florida
November 19, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that he says will protect Floridians from losing their jobs due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and protect parents’ rights to make healthcare decisions for students.
The bills were passed this week during a special session of the Florida Legislature and were effective upon the governor’s signature.
Now effective in Florida:
- Private Employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates are prohibited.
- Employees can choose from numerous exemptions, including but not limited to, health or religious concerns; pregnancy or anticipated future pregnancy; and past recovery from COVID-19.
- Employees can choose to opt for periodic testing or PPE as an exemption.
- Employers must cover the costs of testing and PPE exemptions for employees.
- Employers who violate these employee health protections will be fined.
- Small businesses (99 employees or less) will face $10,000 per employee violation.
- Medium and big businesses will face $50,000 per employee violation.
- Government entities may not require COVID-19 vaccinations of anyone, including employees.
- Educational institutions may not require students to be COVID-19 vaccinated.
- School districts may not have school face mask policies.
- School districts may not quarantine healthy students.
- Students and parents may sue violating school districts and recover costs and attorney’s fees.
“I told Floridians that we would protect their jobs and today we made that the law,” DeSantis said. “Nobody should lose their job due to heavy-handed COVID mandates and we had a responsibility to protect the livelihoods of the people of Florida. I’m thankful to the Florida Legislature for joining me in standing up for freedom.”
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs legislation against vaccine mandates in the state Thursday in Brandon, Florida. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
30 Responses to “DeSantis Signs Bills Preventing Vaccine Mandates For Businesses, Schools In Florida”
So Florida hospitals can no longer require their staff to be vaccinated against or tested for common illnesses. Endangering the health and safety of their patients.
And you think this is a good thing because “dying of preventable diseases to own the libs”?
Seriously, who raised y’all? Is this really the level our community has sunk to?
Praise God – saving our freedom- no one should face losing their job because they don’t believe in the vaccine. I wish he would run for President
You doing ok Florida? Do you need money?
Gov DeSantis is doing a phenomenal job and I applaud his strength and efforts. Some of you here on this forum are most definitely stuck to those FAKE NEWS channels. I’m so sorry you people believe those lies. It’s a pity for those of you with blinders on to be stuck in the dark and terrified. Rather the real truth our Governor is protecting us with should be a ray of sunshine and a real hope for our future, especially for those losing their jobs for not taking a shot of something they know NOTHING about. God bless our Governor for ALL he is doing to fight for us and our rights. I pray that all of those Healthcare people who oppose the vaccine (and THEY of ALL people should know) will keep their jobs, continuing to care for us as they so graciously do. Shame on you Sacred Heart!!!
This was a bill signed into lawyer Gov. DeSantis, but , originating in the State Legislature, unlike the mandates coming solely from the “in group” occupying the Whitehouse. The law doesn’t say you can’t wear masks if you choose to. It allows intelligent adults to take charge of their own bodies and their own healthcare; in other words, to act like adults. Too many people want to be freed from responsibility, to have the Nanny State make decisions for them. Allowing the Administration make all your decisions for you is a steep and slippery slope: one day, all of those who opt for Big Government control will find that’s all they have, with no freedoms.
Biden stated the other day, “Business needs to ignore the courts and follow my rules; it’s for their own good.” Wow.
” Covid isn’t a political problem, it strikes Democrats and Republicans equally.”
Not quite. More Democrats believe in the vax than Republicans, therefore there are more vaccinated Democrats than Republicans.
The better statement is “Covid strikes non-vaccinated Democrats and Republicans equally”.
And, unfortunately, Covid has been politicized.
“OVER 750,000 DEATHS FROM A CONTAGIOUS VIRUS!”
What many fail to realize is that the overwhelming majority of these deaths were UNVACCINATED.
Vaccines work to prevent catching Covid, and reducing the severity if you do catch it, which includes avoiding death.
I don’t get it. The problem is COVID deaths in Florida. People die from COVID. How does removing the mask mandate reduce COVID deaths? I certainly understand the point about loosing your job due to a mandate but I don’t understand how this solution solves the problem. Shouldn’t this law be part of a larger plan that addresses the real problem? Covid isn’t a political problem, it strikes Democrats and Republicans equally. Where’s the rest of plan that addresses the problem?
OVER 750,000 DEATHS FROM A CONTAGIOUS VIRUS!
Vaccine works great!
Again I say,the little most ridiculous excuse for a governor Florida has ever had, he’s following in Trumps footsteps trying to get a pat on the head. Not caring about how many are infected and how many die on a daily basis…@ copycat…like you…
Governor Desantis is doing an excellent job providing Floridians with as many choices and solutions as possible concerning Covid-19. If you don’t like living in the Free State of Florida move to New York, California, Michigan, Illinois, etc. Plenty of places to live in the US if you want to be a gimp.
@ Northendbratt….where did you get your information about “the number one cause of death in children now is Covid 19?” Inquiring minds want to know!!! Thank you Governor DeSantis. Finally someone with enough backbone to stand up to BIG Government.
“1984″ is happening now and many people are welcoming the government takeover.
northendbratt please get your facts straight, the number one cause of death of children is not covid19, it is abortion. Florida has a wonderful governor, who almost lost to a democratic who would have messed up this state like NY or Cal
Photo caption:
“Snowflakes attempting to create their ’safe space’”.
Another stunt by the governor. It will not stand up in court.
@NorthernBratt So Ron Desantis isn’t the government??
Look at the words you are writing they literally contradict one another. He can’t be standing up to the government when he is LITERALLY MANDATING WHAT PRIVATE BUSISNESS CAN DO.
He isn’t standing up to Biden he trampling Hill Kelly, Rosie O Grady’s, McGuire’s all of these are private business not government installations these are the places that will be affected by this.
“Oh, I say and I say it again, ya been had! Ya been took! Ya been hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray! Run amok !This is what He does….”
DeSantis is apparently all about government control when he wants to be the one wielding power. Over half of his campaign account of $56 million is from out of state billionaires who are trying to curry favor with him ahead of 2024. I hope he loses to Nikki next year and then has to drop out of the 2024 presidential primary because everyone sees through his mini-MAGA act and realizes he is more like a box of rocks than trump.
7th generation Floridian and I don’t care if you appreciate me or not.
So as a Republican isn’t he supposed to be for LESS government oversight not MORE? I mean I get the political grand standing this being an election cycle but to go so far as to toss your beliefs aside for a “vote grab” does not inspire confidence.
I know I know you guys WANT to credit him with our low covid numbers but I will remind you that back before the start of Summer our numbers here were as low as 21 new infections a week according to the FLDH that is much lower then our current weekly rate around 111 new infections a week.
Then June/July our numbers skyrocketed to over 2200 a week (same source). This means we are once again in a “low” but thanks to things like you not wearing your masks ANYWHERE, going to the Fair and the Blues air and with all of our Holidays coming up where we will be gathered with our loved ones rest assured come January our numbers will be soaring once again will you blame him for that too or just turn a blind eye?
Please be informed also: I went to see my pain specialist , DrStein, in Late Oct of this year, he made my 2 month appt for late December, he told me if I was nit vaccinated by my next appointment nit to come back in dec, he said he was affiliated with Sacret heart hospital and that it wasn’t him , it was there mandate to him not to see unvaccinated patients in his office, I asked for a written statement , he wouldn’t give it to me , then I asked for a name or number at Sacret heart so I could get a statement from them , he got very angry stated “ just get vaccinated or don’t come back” so what about patients etc, can this doctor be fined? I have since found another doctor that will treat me regardless of my vaccination status, but this was quite alarming to me , can this legally be done? Thank you for all you’ve done for our rights as citizens, I applaud you!
@ NorthenBratt… I know u ain’t calling Ron ( our governor) an IDIOT..Ron is the best man standing in authority right now. If u are so willing to have ZERO say in your life and give government total control, then u are in the wrong place!! And we do not appreciate your kind here in Florida. Or in the south , period. Maybe u would be more comfortable in New York, California, or CHINA..And u absolutely have the FREEDOM to chose to go there..
Thank you again……….SOOOO much Governor DeSantis !
“Government entities ” is apparently only state and local city, county, etc. Not Federal.
Thank God, we’ve all got the good sense to protect ourselves without having to have permission from this idiot! The number one cause of death in children now is Covid 19 and y’all are excited not to be required to immunize…wow…
LET’S GO BRANDON
I’m with you, Straight Shooter. I don’t have a problem with them coming here, but I do have a problem with them coming then wanting to make Florida like what they just left back home. Check those liberal votes at the door and remember why Florida is as free as it is.
Isn’t a mandate that there be no mandates……..a mandate? Aren’t Republicans supposed to be all about government not telling businesses what they can and can’t do? I’m sure there are some bakery owners who were asked to bake a wedding cake for a gay wedding who can explain this to me.
Ronnie out here putting in work. I’m absolutely voting for him again next go around
“The Doer” you are so correct. People are moving to Florida to flee their Blue state rules. I welcome them and beg them to not bring there liberal votes with them.
My man !
We have the best governor in the United States right now. So many are abandoning their liberal States and moving to Florida. Thank you, Gov. DeSantis, for protecting our freedoms and rights!