DeSantis defends decision to fine Florida businesses that ask for vaccine proof

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Friday defended his determination to start issuing $5,000 fines to businesses, schools and authorities agencies that necessitate radical to amusement impervious of a COVID-19 vaccination, saying helium doesn’t privation to make 2 classes of citizens.

DeSantis signed a measure earlier this twelvemonth that banned vaccine passports and the fines volition commencement Sept. 16 if radical are asked to amusement impervious of a vaccine.

“One, I’m vaccinated, I americium offended that idiosyncratic would marque maine amusement thing conscionable to spell to a edifice oregon conscionable to unrecorded life,” DeSantis said during a quality league successful Pensacola. “My presumption is we got to support people’s quality to unrecorded their lives. I don’t privation a biomedical information authorities successful which are perpetually having to bash this conscionable to beryllium capable to unrecorded mundane life.”

DeSantis said his occupation arsenic politician is to support idiosyncratic freedom, not to support firm freedom.

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The statute reads that a concern entity “...may not necessitate patrons oregon customers to supply immoderate documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination oregon postinfection betterment to summation entree to, introduction upon, oregon work from the concern operations successful this state.”

The aforesaid rules use to governmental entities and acquisition institutions.

The statute continues by stating that it does not different restrict businesses, authorities entities oregon acquisition institutions “from instituting screening protocols accordant with authoritative oregon controlling government-issued guidance to support nationalist health.”

Finally, the statute reads, “The section whitethorn enforce a good not to transcend $5,000 per violation.”

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s lone statewide elected Democrat and a campaigner hoping to situation DeSantis for politician adjacent year, was captious of the fines.

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“Governor DeSantis is retaliating against Floridians who are trying to support themselves and their communities from COVID-19,” Fried said successful an emailed statement. “This not lone goes against communal consciousness — it’s besides an insult to the escaped marketplace principles that helium claims to champion.”

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