Story at a glance
- DeSantis signed a bill invalidating all local COVID-19 restrictions and orders as of July 1.
- He also issued an executive order that immediately suspends the local emergency orders until the law goes into effect.
- The governor cited widespread availability of vaccines as a reason behind the directive, noting that while the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, “We’re no longer in a state of emergency.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday took executive action to suspend all local COVID-19 emergency orders in the state effective immediately.
DeSantis signed a bill invalidating all local COVID-19 restrictions and orders as of July 1, but he issued an executive order that immediately suspends the local emergency orders until the law goes into effect. The law only applies to government orders and will not affect Florida businesses that have put in their own mandates such as face coverings.
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The governor cited widespread availability of vaccines as a reason behind the directive, noting that while the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, “we’re no longer in a state of emergency.”
“To bridge the gap between then and now, I’m going to suspend under my executive power the local emergency orders as it relates to COVID,” the governor said during a bill signing at a restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“I think that’s the evidence-based thing to do. I think folks that are saying they need to be policing people at this point, if you’re saying that, then you’re really saying you don’t believe in vaccines,” DeSantis said.
The measure bans so-called vaccine passports and puts limits on local government’s responses to public health emergencies, including ensuring neither the state or local government can close businesses or keep kids out of school “unless they satisfy demanding or continuous justification.” It also gives the governor the power to override a local emergency order.
Florida in September dropped all statewide coronavirus restrictions, but local governments were allowed to put in place their own mask mandates and other restrictions.
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