The governor didn’t announce a date for the session.
DeSantis’ name for a particular legislative session doesn’t require approval from state Senate President Wilton Simpson and Florida Home Speaker Chris Sprowls. Simpson didn’t reply to textual content messages concerning the governor’s plan. Sprowls wrote in a textual content to attend for an announcement from his “group.”
However in a memo to the state Home delivered shortly after DeSantis spoke, Sprowls mentioned his workplace has not obtained any dates or particulars related to the decision.
“Presently, we have now not obtained the dates or particulars concerning any proposed name,” Sprowls wrote. “We’re in communication with the Governor’s Workplace and our companions within the Senate, and we’ll share particulars with you as they emerge.”
Biden introduced plans in September to difficulty a vaccine mandate for companies with greater than 100 staff and federal staff. The plans sparked fiery responses from Republicans, together with DeSantis, who has mentioned vaccination must be a private selection and individuals who have change into naturally resistant to Covid-19 must be exempt from the mandate.
DeSantis’ plans for a particular session are the most recent in an all-out warfare between Florida’s Republican governor and President Joe Biden. DeSantis had already spent months combating with the White Home over masks mandates in faculties, with DeSantis financially punishing college districts that imposed face protecting necessities for college students.
“So as to add protections for folks within the state of Florida, and that is one thing that can’t wait till the common legislative session subsequent 12 months, it must occur quickly,” DeSantis mentioned. “We wish to be sure that people in Florida have their livelihoods and their jobs protected.”
The principles that might govern Biden’s mandate have but to be made by the U.S. Occupational Security and Well being Administration, however they’re anticipated to additionally embody sanctions towards federal contractors and hospitals that fail to power staff to change into vaccinated towards Covid-19. DeSantis mentioned he plans to sue the federal government over these provisions as effectively.
DeSantis has additionally taken motion towards Leon County for a vaccine mandate that led to the termination of 14 county staff. The Florida Division of Well being issued Leon County a $3.57 million high-quality.