ST. PETERSBURG -- Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill putting restrictions on what future orders state and local officials can issue... including himself.
He also issued an order wiping out all remaining COVID-19 local emergency orders effective Juy 1st and suspending those that remain
DeSantis signed the bill in St Petersburg, where local bars and restaurants have complained about fines issued for violations of masking and social distancing rules imposed under the state of emergency.
From now on, the governor said, state and local governments in Florida will be unable to shut down schools and businesses without extensive justification.
The bill also bans "vaccine passports" or requirements to prove one is no longer infected with COVID.
Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose city's fines irked many of those present at the governor's event, had this response to the signing on Facebook:
"To be clear, cities like St. Pete, Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Miami Beach, saved Florida and the governor's behind throughout this pandemic. Can you imagine if each city had been led by Ron DeSantis? How many lives would have been lost? What would our economy look like today?"
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