![]() On guns, DeSantis and the legislature didn’t go as far as some gun-rights advocates wanted. However, language that would have made it a crime for Florida residents to transport or house migrants within the state was stripped from the bill after fierce pushback. Lawmakers on Tuesday passed an immigration measure that would provide more money for DeSantis’ program for relocating undocumented migrants. Earlier, he signed a measure that scrapped the state requirement that a jury must be unanimous to return a death sentence. The governor can trumpet a bill he signed on Monday that expands the state’s death penalty law to include criminals found guilty of raping a child under 12, in defiance of U.S. Legislators are still wrangling over a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, and it remains unclear whether a version will pass before the session ends Friday.ĭeSantis has presided over a major expansion of the state's voucher program that allows all students in kindergarten through 12th grade to receive taxpayer-funded assistance to attend private schools - long a goal of conservative activists. Lawmakers also expanded last year's controversial law that prohibits gender-identity instruction to include more grade levels and added a ban on educators using pronouns different than the one a student was born with. The legislature on Wednesday sent DeSantis a bill that includes a series of reforms for Florida's higher-education system and eliminates funding for diversity and inclusion programs at public universities. On Tuesday, DeSantis signed a bill that forbids asset managers in the state from using environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations when making investment decisions and prohibits banks from denying loans based on borrowers' political beliefs. “He got everything he wanted,” said Ron Book, a longtime Republican lobbyist in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital.Ī spokesperson for DeSantis provided a list of the governor's legislative accomplishments and declined to comment further. “He’s got to do a better job of selling than he has done over the last six weeks.”įriendly state lawmakers have moved at a relentless pace during the session to equip DeSantis with tools to make the case that he stands as his party's leading warrior pushing back against rampant crime, illegal immigration and liberal polices favored by educators and investors. “Anybody who has raised over $100 million and won reelection as governor of what used to be a swing state has a lot to sell,” said Whit Ayres, a veteran Republican pollster. With the first presidential nominating contest still nine months away, political analysts say DeSantis has plenty of time to turn his fortunes around. He is expected to pitch himself to voters as more electable than front-runner Trump, who has used DeSantis' absence from the race to attempt to frame him as a second-rate politician who owes his success to Trump's backing when he first ran for governor. The Republican-dominated state legislature has indeed churned out bills at DeSantis' behest, allowing him to crow that Florida is “the beating heart of the conservative movement.” But a sweeping abortion ban, permitless concealed carry for guns, and more anti-diversity and anti-“woke” measures have been largely overshadowed by his ongoing feud with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N).Īnd some of those legislative accomplishments, particularly the so-called “heartbeat” law that bans abortions after six weeks, could place DeSantis in political peril down the road, either in the Republican state nominating contests or in the general election should he become the party's nominee.Įven so, DeSantis plans to launch his presidential run in some manner later this month, followed by a more formal event in June, sources close to the governor said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ![]() Things haven't quite worked out that way.Īs the two-month session draws to a close this week, DeSantis is arguably in worse political shape than he was when it began, having tumbled in public opinion polls, seen endorsements go to rival Donald Trump and watched as key Republican donors expressed doubts about his viability. WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had counted on a productive state legislative session this spring to turbocharge his coming 2024 presidential bid.
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