Senate Majority Leader Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne) applauds the joint “Keep Florida Free” legislative agenda announced today by Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby), House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R- Palm Harbor) and Governor Ron DeSantis for the upcoming Special Session in response to overreach by the federal government.
The Florida Legislature will convene for 2021 Special Session B on Monday, November 15, 2021, pursuant to the proclamation issued October 29, 2021, by Governor DeSantis.
“Here in Florida, we believe individual rights and liberties are worth fighting for, and we will not stand by while the federal government threatens parental rights and the ability of hardworking Floridians to provide for their families through unlawful, one-size-fits-all COVID-19 mandates,” said Senate Majority Leader Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne). “I am proud to join Governor Ron DeSantis, President Simpson and my colleagues in safeguarding the people of Florida from the reckless overreach by the Biden Administration.”
The “Keep Florida Free” legislative agenda keeps Florida open for business and prioritizes families, individual rights and job-creators over government.
The “Keep Florida Free” Legislative Agenda
Senate Bill 2B/ HB 1B: Reject Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates
Prohibits private-sector employees from imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates without providing several individual exemptions, prohibits vaccine mandates for government and education employees, and preserves the rights of parents and guardians to make health care decisions for their children. The measures in the bill are enforced with fines against employers who violate the law and provides parents and students 18 years of age and older the right to sue and recover their attorney fees for a violation of their rights as it relates to masks, quarantine, and COVID-19 vaccination policies.
Senate Bill 4B/ HB 3B: Protect Private Health Care and Religious Information
Protects Florida workers from retaliation by creating a public records exemption for certain information, including personal health care and religious information, contained in files created during an investigation into employers that wrongly terminated an employee after refusing to provide individual exemptions to their COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Senate Bill 6B/ HB 5B: Begin Withdrawing from OSHA
Begins the process of developing a proposal to withdraw from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration that has been weaponized by the federal government in an attempt to enforce sweeping COVID-19 mandates.
Senate Bill 8B/ HB 7B: Remove Authority of State Health Officer to Order Vaccinations
Repeals the existing, never-before-used portion of law that authorizes the State Health Officer to force vaccinations on Floridians.
