Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Initiative to Make Protections from COVID Mandates Permanent, Enact New Protections for Free Speech for Medical Practitioners

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a common-sense legislative proposal to make permanent COVID-19 freedoms in Florida. This strong pro-freedom, anti-mandate action will permanently protect Floridians from losing their jobs due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, protects parents’ rights, and institutes additional protections that prevent discrimination based on COVID-19 vaccine status. To read the full proposal, click here.

“When the world lost its mind, Florida was a refuge of sanity, serving strongly as freedom’s linchpin,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These measures will ensure Florida remains this way and will provide landmark protections for free speech for medical practitioners.”

“As a health sciences researcher and physician, I have personally witnessed accomplished scientists receive threats due to their unorthodox positions,” said State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. “However, many of these positions have proven to be correct, as we’ve all seen over the past few years. All medical professionals should be encouraged to engage in scientific discourse without fearing for their livelihoods or their careers.”

In 2021, Governor DeSantis signed legislation to protect Florida jobs and parents’ rights to make health care decisions for their students, banning private employer vaccine mandates and mask mandates across the state. Governor DeSantis continues to safeguard Floridians’ freedoms and ensure no one is discriminated against based on their COVID-19 vaccine status or is subject to a two-tiered test and mask discrimination policy from employers.

The proposal includes the permanent prohibition of mandates that are continuously proven ineffective, including:

-Permanently prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine passports in Florida;

-Permanently prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements in all Florida schools;

-Permanently prohibiting COVID-19 masking requirements at businesses; and

-Permanently prohibiting employers from hiring or firing based on mRNA jabs.

Included in Governor DeSantis’ proposal are first amendment rights guarantees for medical professionals, ensuring no one loses their job or medical license for voicing their professional opinions in Florida. The legislation will safeguard medical professionals from discrimination based on their personal religious views.

Governor DeSantis remains committed to ensuring COVID freedoms are upheld in Florida and will fight against local governments, businesses, and corporations that attempt to impose authoritarian policies surrounding COVID.