Statements
FDP Chair Manny Diaz calls Special Session on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in the Florida Legislature Unhealthy for Floridians and a Waste of Taxpayers Money
In October, Gov. Ron DeSantis demanded the Florida Legislature hold a special session to prevent the government and businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees. Today, the Florida Legislature is convening in Tallahassee to boost DeSantis’s political agenda. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz issued the following statement on the special session happening this week.
“This so-called special session of the Florida Legislature is nothing more than an effort to advance Ron Desantis’ political agenda, wasting taxpayer money in the process and putting Floridians’ health at risk. The real goals here are nothing more than grabbing headlines on Fox News and generating donations for DeSantis’s political aspirations.
“Sadly this Governor has continuously shown Floridians he does not care about their safety or well being. Just during this summer’s delta wave we lost 21,000 Floridians to COVD-19. Many of these deaths could have been prevented through a robust vaccination campaign. But instead DeSantis and his acolytes decided to turn vaccines into a political issue, despite decades of vaccines being part of our daily lives.
“The business community does not want this. They want the ability to protect themselves, their customers, and their employees. This call for a ban on vaccine requirements endangers their workers, and bottom line, and risks Florida’s reputation around the world as a safe place to bring your family. Vaccines keep Florida’s workforce safe and working which keeps our economy running. A healthy Florida is a prosperous Florida, full stop.
“But instead of addressing real problems facing Floridians such the broken unemployment system, unaffordable housing, underfunded schools, and access to healthcare, the Legislature will be wasting taxpayer money just to give the Governor the political theater he wants for the most extreme elements of his base. This special session is proof that if Floridians don’t throw DeSantis out of office he will continue to work against our health and the livelihood of the residents of this great state.”