Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) scored a major victory this week when he announced that the city of Gainesville has rescinded the city worker vaccine mandate after a judge granted a temporary injunction against it.
City commissioners had initially approved the mandate for all city employees back in August in a 4-3 vote, according to WCJB [1]. Around 200 city employees immediately fought back by filing a lawsuit. DeSantis announced last month that Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) had filed [2] an amicus brief with the court supporting these city staffers in their fight against the mandate.
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A judge granted the injunction against the city’s vaccine mandate last week, and city commissioners then voted [4] to “reconsider” the city’s mandate. On Friday, DeSantis took his well-earned victory lap when he announced [5] that the Florida Department of Health “received a response” from the city “indicating the City of Gainesville rescinded its employee vaccine mandate.”
“In May, I signed SB 2006 to empower Floridians – not elected politicians – to take charge of their personal health decisions,” DeSantis said. “We are not going to allow our first responders and government employees, many of whom have been on the front lines for over a year and a half, to be cast aside by local politicians’ mandates. This reversal by the City of Gainesville is a victory for liberty.”
“Floridians have the right to make their own decisions regarding the health of themselves and their families,” added Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo. “As a new resident to Florida, I am glad to see that the City of Gainesville has changed course on employee vaccine mandates. Without COVID-19 mandates, the State of Florida has been highly successful in vaccinating over 70% of the population.”
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Florida workers should not lose their jobs based on COVID shots. The City of Gainesville rescinded its mandate, which threatened to kill many jobs.
We must protect the jobs of hard-working Floridians from destructive mandates imposed by local politicians.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 1, 2021 [7]
“In response to your inquiry, there are zero employees who are subject to a City COVID-19 employer vaccination requirement,” City Manager Lee Feldman wrote [9] in response to the Florida Department of Health. “Please be advised that o September 23, 2021, the City Commission of the City of Gainesville took action to remind their August 5th action related to COVID-19.”
“Based upon that rescission, the directives enumerated in my memoranda dated August 12, 2021, and updated August 14, 2021, have been voided,” Feldman added.
Unlike many other governors, DeSantis has spent this pandemic fighting for the rights of individuals to choose whether or not they want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He understands that nobody should be forced to get a vaccine just to keep their jobs.
If only there were more governors out there like DeSantis. The people of Florida are lucky to have him.
This piece was written by James Samson on October 3, 2021. It originally appeared in RedVoiceMedia.com [10] and is used by permission.
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