Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that government agencies will face a $5,000 fine if they mandate vaccinations for employees.
“If a government agency in the state of Florida forces a vaccine as a condition to employment, that violates Florida law,” DeSantis said in a speech. “And you will face a $5,000 fine for every single violation.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) says if a government agency requires a vaccine for employees, it will be fined $5,000.
(According to a new CNN/SSRS poll, 54-55% of Americans say they support businesses and schools requiring proof of vaccination.) pic.twitter.com/tfGG2WY7J0
— The Recount (@therecount) September 13, 2021
The Florida Department of Health implemented a new rule in early September preventing businesses, schools or government agencies from requiring customers to provide proof of vaccination. The rule, which also fined businesses $5,000 per violation, did not apply to mandates imposed on an entity’s own employees. (RELATED: ‘He Lied’: RNC Will Sue Biden Over Vaccine Mandate)
DeSantis and President Joe Biden have repeatedly battled over their starkly different approaches to handling the coronavirus pandemic. Biden recently announced that all federal agencies and businesses with over 100 employees must require proof of vaccination from workers or subject them to weekly COVID-19 tests.
The president threatened to get “elected officials” who opposed vaccine and mask mandates “out of the way.” DeSantis called Biden’s vaccine mandate “unprecedented” and “not constitutional.” The governor also said that Biden “doesn’t take responsibility for anything” and is “always trying to blame other people, blame other states.”