The GOP governor said Florida will challenge in federal court and through legislation any vaccine mandates placed on employers or others by President Joe Biden. DeSantis’ comments follow those of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who earlier this week banned vaccine requirements in his state.
“Let’s not have Biden come in and effectively take away — threaten to take away — the jobs of people who have been working hard throughout this entire pandemic,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Fort Myers. “I am offended that a police officer could potentially lose their job.”
Biden announced plans to issue the vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees and federal workers through the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in September. The plans immediately drew the ire from Republicans including DeSantis, who has said vaccination should be a personal choice and people who have become naturally immune to Covid-19 should be exempt from the mandate.
“I just think it’s fundamentally wrong to be taking people’s jobs away, particularly given the situations that we see ourselves facing with the economy,” DeSantis said.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member