TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on even more new bills, bringing the total to over 200 laws approved this year.
However, he didn’t OK all of the bills that were sent to his desk.
Among the large batches of bills that he approved, there were five in particular that he instead opted to veto, according to the governor’s office.
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News 6 has collected the veto letters from each of these bills, in which DeSantis explains his reasoning for doing so.
The full list of veto letters is as follows:
HB 325 — Inmate Development
“HB 325 creates a new program that requires state correctional institutions and facilities to include training for Class A and Class B commercial driver’s licenses.
The bill allows inmates to operate a state-owned vehicle outside of the fence for the purpose of completing program requirements or demonstrating proficiency in the program and requires that such operation must be under the supervision of a correctional officer.
Not only is this new program unnecessarily burdensome to the Department of Corrections staff and its facilities, but it also creates signification public safety concerns by authorizing incarcerated individuals to operate commercial vehicles in public thoroughfares.
Florida’s commitment to enhancing workforce development efforts and supporting our state’s trucking industry is clear, and while portions of the bill may support both goals, those can be achieved through the existing oversight of both the Department of Corrections and Department of Transportation, that do not put our roads at risk.
For these reasons, I withhold my approval of (HB 325) and do hereby veto the same."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (HB 325)
SB 382 — E-Bike Rules
“SB 382 prohibits electric bicycles (e-bikes) from operating at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour if within 50 feet of a pedestrian. The bill establishes a standard that would certainly be difficult for a bicyclist to measure when safely operating an e-bike.
Violators would be guilty of a nonmoving traffic violation and subject to fines surpassing $100, a violation that would inevitably be enforced with speed detection and surveillance devices. Separately, the bill creates a ‘Micromobility Device Safety Task Force," with no sunset date, to recommend limitless regulations related to e-bikes.
This bill will likely lead to enhanced surveillance by local governments against citizens. Moreover, the bill creates a task force, yet substantive changes are also implemented prior to any task force recommendations.
For these reasons, I withhold my approval of (SB 382) and do hereby veto the same."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (SB 382)
[RELATED: Florida governor vetoes e-bike safety bill]
HB 461 — Poll Volunteers
“The bill seeks to clarify the ability for high school students to volunteer at polling locations for the purpose of receiving community service hours to meet high school graduation and scholarship requirements.
While the House and Senate sponsors had a noble intent in filing the bill, the application of the bill may result in an avenue for polls to be staffed with volunteers that may not be subject to Florida’s prohibition on single party registered poll workers for general elections. Given the bill received support in committee by representatives of the Southern Poverty Law Center, this may indeed be the consequence of the legislation.
Currently, Florida high school students can already receive service hour credit for paid work and volunteering. For these reasons, I withhold my approval of (HB 461) and do hereby veto the same."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (HB 461)
SB 688 — Naturopathic Medicine
“SB 688 provides for the regulation and licensing of naturopathic medicine in Florida. The bill requires the Department of Health to establish the Board of Naturopathic Medicine to oversee naturopathic doctors and authorizes a licensure fee. The bill requires individuals to receive a license to practice from an accredited institution - all of which are out of state.
Current law allows licensed practitioners such as physicians, doctors of osteopathy, acupuncturists, and dietitians to employ naturopathic methods and recommend natural remedies.
Additionally, Floridians can already access natural remedy treatments because they do not require a prescription or U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. If enacted, this legislation may negatively impact Floridians who currently work in alternative medicine by mandating post-graduate education that cannot be obtained in Florida and require them to pay costly licensure fees to do the work they are already performing. There is no need to create additional bureaucratic hurdles.
Florida leads the nation in advancing medical freedom and access to care. Initiatives such as Healthy Florida First empower citizens to make informed choices without creating excessive regulations. Rather than relying on additional bureaucracy, Florida will continue to pursue practical solutions that promote transparency and accountability to better serve Florida families."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (SB 688)
HB 4075 — Town of Davie
“The bill creates an exemption from state and federal outdoor advertising laws for a parcel abutting I-75, a federal-aid component of the Interstate Highway System. Given that the bill provides an exclusive exemption to the Highway Beautification Act, it may result in a reduction in Florida’s funding apportionment under federal law.
While the bill has the intent of promoting the agricultural heritage of the community, the fiscal impact from noncompliance with the Highway Beautification Act outweighs any revenue that may be derived from the promotional signage planned by the Town of Davie.
For this reason, I withhold my approval of (HB 4075) and do hereby veto the same."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (HB 4075)