FL Democrats Call Special Legislative Session 'Political Theater'

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Democratic leaders are calling this week's special legislative session "political theater" designed to forward Republic Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' ongoing feud with the White House and further his plans to run for president.

The special session ended Thursday with the passage of a series of bills promptly signed by DeSantis that provides protections for employees who choose not to be vaccinated from the Biden administration's federal mandate requiring vaccines for all employees working at businesses with 100 or more employees, businesses with federal contracts and health care facilities that receive Medicaid or Medicare funds.

Republican Legislators made quick work of the task DeSantis assigned to them to protect unvaccinated workers, passing a series of bills that fine employers and give unvaccinated workers additional protections. Read about the legislation here.

Meanwhile, Florida the Democratic minority could only sit back and watch, helpless to halt what they called legislation designed to thwart the small businesses that are just beginning to recover from the pandemic.

“This is political theater," House Minority co-leader Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach, said during a news conference. "This is not about helping anyone. This is not about guaranteeing anyone’s freedoms. This is not about governmental policy. This is about two men having a measuring contest that they should have in private, and instead, they’re letting it spill out in front of full public view."

He compared the Republicans legislators' actions during the session to a "paramilitary force," bent on intimidating any legislator who didn't toe the line.

“This is not about trying to craft good public policy,” Jenne said. “This is about whipping up people’s fears. A lot of this is fear based.”

Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami, was especially concerned with the Republican measure directing the governor’s office to explore creating a new state agency to replace the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is responsible for implementing the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates for employers with 100 or more workers.

“And all of a sudden, we're creating another layer of regulation, bureaucracy,” Pizzo said. “You have businesses here that we're trying to lure and create a larger footprint, and track new business, and expanding business here to Florida, and we're doing them a solid by creating a new regulatory agency?”

"'Floridians deserve freedom -- but only if you think like we do.' That's the message broadcast by Florida's GOP leaders this morning as they proposed legislation to strip business owners and local governments of the freedom to decide what's best for their workers and their communities," said Senate Minority leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation. "This proposed legislation not only inhibits that very freedom, but also dangerously threatens the safety of workers and communities by handicapping hospitals and healthcare facilities who are reliant on federal funding to keep our communities safe as well as stripping protections from workers with the abandonment of OSHA."

Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, however, said OSHA has become a puppet of the Biden administration.

“It has become even clearer that OSHA is being weaponized by the Biden administration not to protect workers, but to institute an illegal and unconstitutional nationwide vaccine mandate that robs Americans of the dignity of work," he said. "As we have said before, the Florida Legislature looks forward to pursuing separation from OSHA and creating Florida’s own safety and health standards that reflect the views and values of our state."

DeSantis' signature Thursday means that, effective immediately:

Private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates are prohibited.

• Employees can choose from numerous exemptions, including 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.

Additionally:

• 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.

Currently, all Florida schools districts have exceptions that allow students to opt out of wearing masks.

“I told Floridians that we would protect their jobs and today we made that the law,” said DeSantis. “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.”

"I think this is a politically motivated and calculated move on behalf of the governor to promote his own ambitions of running for president," said Book. "As legislators, we are charged with a duty to protect the health and well-being of our residents, and denying businesses the freedom to decide the best protocols is outrageous and out of line with our American values."

See related stories:

• COVID-19 Mandates Won't Cost Floridians Their Jobs: DeSantis
• US Vaccine Mandate Targeted By FL Lawmakers In Special Session
• DeSantis Sets Nov. 15 Start Date For Special Session Of FL Legislature
• DeSantis Sues Biden Over Vaccine Mandates For Businesses
• Vaccine Mandates Would Put Thousands Out Of Work: Gov. DeSantis