Florida House District 2 Representative Alex Andrade on Tuesday presented House Bill 7B, legislation he sponsored, removing the state’s health officer’s authority to order vaccinations during declared public health emergencies. It was one of four bills passed by the legislature during this week’s special session. Photo by Florida House District 3 Representative Jayer Williamson.
During a special session this week called by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, state lawmakers passed four bills aimed to block COVID-19 mandates, including one which will make Florida the first state to fine businesses or hospitals who fire workers without allowing certain exemptions.
“No one who is subject to Florida law will be forced to get a vaccine who does not want one,” said Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls. “I look forward to seeing the Governor sign these bills to make this the law of the land in our state.”
Specifically, the four bills, after signed into law by DeSantis, will:
HB 1B/SB 2B – Prohibit COVID-19 vaccination mandates for state government and public education employees; protect parental choice on masks, vaccines and quarantine, allowing them to sue; and prohibit private employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccines without providing exemptions, including but not limited to:
- medical (as determined by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant), including pregnancy or expectation of pregnancy;
- religious, based on a sincerely held belief;
- Immunity, based on prior COVID-19 infection, as documented by a lab test;
- periodic testing, agreeing to comply with regular testing at no cost to the employee;
- personal protective equipment (PPE), agreeing to comply with use of employer-provided PPE.
HB 3B/SB 4B – Protect from public records disclosure the personal medical and religious information of employees who file complaints against employers over COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
HB 5B/SB 6B – Plan creation a state agency to replace federal OSHA’s oversight of occupational safety & health.
HB 7B/SB 8B – Remove the state’s health officer’s authority to order vaccinations during declared public health emergencies.
Florida House District 2 Representative Alex Andrade on Tuesday presented to the house floor HB7B, a bill he sponsored and successfully pushed through the legislature. Andrade says the move made Florida the strongest state in the country for vaccine privacy and individual liberty.
“Floridians will not be victimized by the whims of woke corporations or power hungry politicians, “said Andrade, adding, “Floridians are worried by the expansion of executive power we’ve seen from the Biden administration and many local officials. It’s an honor to work with Speaker Sprowls and Governor DeSantis to reaffirm that we will always stand up for the individual rights of the people we serve.”
