In the News
In the News: Florida Democratic Lawmakers Fight Back Against radical Republicans on Day 1 of Legislative Session
Today, Florida Democratic lawmakers stood united in fighting back against Ron DeSantis’s MAGA extremism and the radical Republicans rubber-stamping his agenda. As Florida Republicans introduced an extreme near-total abortion ban, and continue pushing a reckless permitless carry bill, anti-immigrant legislation and other bad bills, Florida Democrats let us know they are going to fight for Floridians every single day of the legislative session.
Here’s what Florida Democratic lawmakers are saying:
USA TODAY: “Florida Republicans have once again demonstrated a complete disregard for the women of our state and for our collective freedoms,” said Orlando Rep. Anna Eskamani, who previously worked for the reproductive health care provider Planned Parenthood. “As we’ve already seen in other states, a six week ban is extreme, dangerous, and will force millions of people out of state to seek care and others will be forced into pregnancy.”
NewsNation: “What we’ve seen from this governor is a strong ambition and a desire to go after anybody who thinks differently than he does,” [Florida’s House Minority Leader Fentrice] Driskell said. “That is how we know this will be a session that is filled with culture wars and not focused on the economic needs of everyday Floridians.”
Orlando Sentinel: Vastly outnumbered Democratic lawmakers said the bill amounts to an all-out abortion ban and vowed to fight it. Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book said victims should not be forced to report a rape or a sexual assault to get an abortion. “We should not be forcing or asking people to disclose things they are not ready to do,” said Book, who is a survivor of sexual assault.
WPBF: “This is the true state of our state — and Floridians — you deserve better,” Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said in her speech. “We deserve real freedom to earn a living wage, to exercise freedom of uncensored speech, written or spoken, to be safe from gun violence, to work jobs that allow us to afford the basics, and still have some left for savings, and to do something special with and for our kids. That’s the Florida that Senate Democrats are fighting for.”