Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed what he called “the strongest piece of legislation that’s been enacted anywhere in the country” in opposition to coronavirus vaccination mandates on workers.
Flanked by Republican legislative leaders, DeSantis officially made Florida the first state with a law that imposes fines on businesses and hospitals that require inoculation against Covid-19 without exemptions or alternatives. DeSantis signed the legislative package into law a day after Republican lawmakers passed his anti-mandate agenda during a fast-moving special session that was largely divided along party lines. “Leadership means you get in there and you do what you can to stand by people,” DeSantis said. “And that’s exactly what we did today.” The steps taken by Florida this week represent a significant escalation in the fight between Republican-led states and the federal government over President Joe Biden’s push to get the country inoculated against the coronavirus, and they reflect just how politicized the pandemic has become. DeSantis, who himself is vaccinated against the coronavirus and once championed the vaccines’ effectiveness in preventing mass deaths, has tapped into the growing anger over public health restrictions and positioned himself as a foil to Biden. It was quickly noted on social media that DeSantis held the bill signing at a car dealership on the outskirts of Brandon, Florida, widely seen as a nod to the anti-Biden “Let’s go, Brandon” chant gaining popularity among conservatives.
