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Florida’s Special Legislative Session concluded with all four proposed bills passing to Governor DeSantis’ desk. If signed into law as written, the legislation will provide protection for unvaccinated Floridians in the workforce against the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate and will provide additional protections for employees against employer mandates.
Furthermore, Florida’s Surgeon General won’t be able to order vaccinations of Floridians. Parental rights over children while at school will be strengthened and Florida will begin a multi-year process to attempt to create a state agency to replace OSHA.
In other news, a day after the Army Corp of Engineers adopted a new framework for future discharges from Lake Okeechobee, a grim milestone was announced by Florida Fish and Wildlife. For the first time in recorded history, Florida’s lost over 1,000 manatees this year. As of Tuesday’s report from FWC, 1,003 manatees had died statewide this year with starvation accounting for most of the deaths.
On Wednesday, 1,548 new COVID-19 cases were reported statewide.
Lastly, while the state hasn’t officially updated Florida’s monthly voter registration information, POLITICO is confirming the recent assertion by Governor DeSantis that Republican voter registrations now outnumber Democrats in Florida. According to records obtained by POLITICO, there are now 6,035 more registered Republicans than Democrats in Florida. This marks the first time in the state’s history Republicans have outnumbered Democrats in the state.