DeSantis suspends all local COVID-19 emergency orders
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CBS12) — Gov. DeSantis signed several executive orders to immediately suspend and eventually invalidate by July 1 all local emergency orders related to COVID-19.
This includes local mask mandates and curfews.
Although the governor was met with enthusiasm during his news conference in St. Petersburg on Monday, some local leaders say they were blindsided by the announcement, and fear it undermines their authority to protect residents.
"Any time that local government is preempted by the state, it just sends a message that we don’t matter," Commissioner Melissa McKinlay told CBS12 News. "To completely just yank the rug out from what should be a partner in this pandemic response is uncalled for."
Palm Beach County officials recently extended the county mask mandate through May 18.
Now with the sweep of a pen, Gov. DeSantis says that is no longer enforceable, though businesses can still decide what their mask policy is for customers.
"In terms of what a grocery store or a Disney theme park chooses to do, this does not deal with that one way or another," he said. "This bill applies to government action."
Rep. Lois Frankel (Fl-21) released this statement late Monday afternoon in response to DeSantis' suspension of local COVID-19 orders:
I strongly disagree with Governor DeSantis stripping local governments of the powers they need to keep their communities safe. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. Vaccine hesitation and the refusal to wear masks and social distance by too many people still prevents us from getting back to normal. It’s too early to stop using every tool we have to protect Americans from COVID-19.
DeSantis also talked about election reform and he blasted the CDC and FDA for its handling of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. DeSantis said the pause increased vaccine hesitancy.