Florida Gov. DeSantis invalidates COVID-19 statewide restrictions

Florida Gov. DeSantis invalidates COVID-19 restrictions statewide, says there's no need 'to be policing people at this point' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended local COVID-19 emergency orders Monday, citing the effectiveness of vaccines. James Call USA TODAY

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended local COVID-19 emergency orders Monday and signed a proposal lawmakers approved last week that limits the government's ability to impose mask requirements and other social distancing measures used to combat the coronavirus this past year.

The measure, Senate Bill 2006, also makes permanent DeSantis' executive order that prohibits "vaccine passports," saying it is unnecessary "to be policing people at this point."

"I think if you are saying that you are really saying you don't believe in the vaccines, you don't believe in the data, you don't believe in science," DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony in St. Petersburg.

The legislation also makes it more difficult for local governments to order measures such as wearing masks or place limits on businesses by requiring emergency orders to be narrowly tailored and be in seven-day increments totaling no more than 42 days.

DeSantis' executive order to strike down local virus restrictions does not apply to mask mandates or social distancing  issued by businesses, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The news comes at the same time that Florida continues to log thousands of new COVID cases each week, though the week-over-week totals are significantly decreasing. ...