DeSantis threatens 'millions' in fines for cities and counties for vaccine mandates

[Zorro]

Source: Tampa Bay Times

“We are not going to let people get fired because of the vaccine mandate,” DeSantis said.

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida will fine local governments $5,000 for each employee who is required to be vaccinated, threatening some cities and counties with millions of dollars in penalties for adopting strict vaccine “mandates.”

During a Monday news conference in Alachua County, DeSantis vowed to fight that city’s requirement that employees be vaccinated by the end of the month or be fired.

“We are not going to let people get fired because of the vaccine mandate,” DeSantis said. “You don’t just cast aside people who have been serving faithfully over this issue, over what’s basically a personal choice over their individual health.”

The result could be the state imposing millions of dollars in fines under a new state law barring Florida businesses and local governments from requiring proof of a vaccine “to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the governmental entity’s operations in this state.” A new Department of Health rule enforcing the law is set to take effect Thursday.

Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/13/desantis-threatens-millions-in-fines-for-cities-and-counties-for-vaccine-mandates/

---

Looks as if DeSantis doesn't want to let Abbott get all the recognition as the leading asshole Republican governor.

[marble falls]

1. Yeah, right. Like that'll happen.

[monkeyman1]

2. talk about blowing smoke up peoples ass's ! this guy is a mental case !

[The Magistrate]

3. Yo, DeSantis, Whadda Ya Say, How Many Kids Did Ya Kill Today?

[reACTIONary]

22. LBJ was actually disturbed...

... by that chant. This asshole, not so much.

[Evolve Dammit]

27. Not seeing any semblance of a conscience. At all. Is he from "away? DeSantis sounds foreign....

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. Death Sentence has chosen the hill for his suckers to die on. How many will they take with them?

[Evolve Dammit]

40. Just so tragic and truly evil. But those who get vaccinated are the evil ones?? Wow.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. Careful. "Sounds foreign" is prejudice. Please don't go there. . . . .nt

[Evolve Dammit]

43. I was being sarcastic. You couldn't pronounce my last name.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

44. Cool

[Evolve Dammit]

45. and if that's you're name, it's very cool.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

46. It's not my real name, but it has multiple meanings for me. . . . nt

[Evolve Dammit]

47. It's a good one!

[Champp]

4. What a loser

What a drag to be an arrogant Republican loser.

[ad121rome]

5. When?

When will the grownups set DeSantis down and tell him to shut up. The longer this pandemic goes on the money Florida businesses lose. He is such a racist cry baby. We need a recall petition, give him something shiny to play with. The idiot is a killer, should be treated as such.

[marybourg]

6. "Personal choice over individual health"

Has anybody ever said the word “com- mu- nic-ab-le “ to him? He acts like this is an alien concept. To treat your diabetes is a personal choice. To treat cancer is a personal choice. To treat a communicable disease is a public health matter! Always has been.

[GulfCoast66]

31. Anything starting with commun is spun in to communism.

Community, communicable. And on and on.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

33. It's called PUBLIC HEALTH for a reason. . . . nt

[elleng]

7. But it is NOT 'a personal choice over their individual health."'

[paleotn]

8. Ain't happening.

[lonely bird]

9. Um, I may be wrong but...

Doesn’t at will employment allow for companies to basically fire people whenever they want? How will DeathSantis deal with that?

[hedda_foil]

10. Biden can withhold federal funds from Florida as long as DeSantis keeps this up but

DeathSentence probably wouldn't mind shuttering the public schools. In fact, it's not unlikely that it's on his agenda.

[Diamond_Dog]

11. I wonder if

Abbott and DeSantis have some kind of a bet going on to see who can be the bigger asshole.

[PSPS]

15. They're both vying for the MAGA vote in '24

[KG]

12. remember when repubs hated gov't overreach

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

37. Well, he's saying that mandating vaccination is government overreach.

He keep harping on individual rights, but says nothing about responsibilities.

[KG]

39. holy dueling gov't overreach!

[bringthePaine]

13. flailing little man shits his drawers in public yet again ***yawn***

[Scalded Nun]

14. OK, he does this

Then withhold 5K of federal funding every time and forward that money to the city, county, etc.

OR...since DeShithead is applying state penalties on local governments complying with legal mandates, pause all state transportation/highway funding for Florida until this crap stops. Do not fuck with medical funding for folks.

[PSPS]

16. 1. He can't actually do this. 2. His MAGA's love this crap. It gives them orgasms.

[BlueIdaho]

17. See you in court - Loser. nt.

[BlueStater]

18. Call his bluff.

Fuck this asshole. He’s actually the tyrant that right-wing idiots are always calling Biden.

[Bristlecone]

19. More bluster from this two-bit clown.

[mwooldri]

20. Hang on... Can he overrule OSHA? NT

[Mr.Bill]

21. He is at war

with his own state.

[moreland01]

23. Biden needs to proclaim

that he has the counties' backs. The federal government should reimburse any such fines. Just have to figure out a way to starve DeSantis (and not the people) of the cash thru federal withholding of funds.

[hadEnuf]

24. Hey Ron the Moron, Florida is Right to Work and non-union workplaces can boot whoever they want,

for any reason. They don't even have to give a reason.

Set up just like you and your ilk want it to be.


People will get fired and there isn't a frigging thing to do about it. Asshole.

[yaesu]

25. IMHO Afghans didn't vote for their nutjob dictator, Floridians did. I feel sorry for Afghans but

there is nothing I can do to help them. I don't feel sorry for red state voters, they keep voting these fascists into office & there is nothing I can do to help them I see red states as different countries, If they want change they need to fight for it & that means demonstrating both at state & Federal level, making life miserable for their fascist dictators. Giving dictators a voice on MSM and echoing that voice is harmful to democracy & progressives in red states. I say we should quit posting any news about fascist politicians unless its good news like they died, got the boot or were sent to prison.

[turbinetree]

26. Hey Death Satan....did you get a mandatory polio vaccine / and other shots when you younger

how about measles, diphtheria vaccine for example...did your kids have to get one....before they could go to school in Florida...why don't you tell your people in the state if they got those shots.....you really are a piece of work....when are people in your state going to put up billboards .... asking did you get a vaccine shot Ronnnnnnnniiiiiieeeee

[mahatmakanejeeves]

28. Are public employees covered by OSHA? It depends.

On Monday, DeSantis said that any cities or counties in Florida that require public government employees to get vaccinated to keep their jobs will be charged $5,000 for every single violation, with violators at risk of paying millions of dollars in fines.

https://www.google.com/search?q=does+osha+cover+state+employees

Are public employees covered by OSHA?

State and Local Government Workers
Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by Federal OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in those states that have an OSHA-approved state program.

Federal Government Workers
OSHA's protection applies to all federal agencies.

State Plan Frequently Asked Questions

What is an OSHA-Approved State Plan?

OSHA Coverage

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act covers most private sector employers and their workers, in addition to some state and local government employers and their workers in the 50 states and certain territories and jurisdictions under federal authority. Those jurisdictions include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, Johnston Island, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

Private Sector Workers

OSHA covers most private sector employers and workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the other United States (U.S.) jurisdictions – either directly through OSHA or through an OSHA-approved State Plan. State Plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states rather than federal OSHA. Section 18 of the OSH Act encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs and precludes state enforcement of OSHA standards unless the state has an OSHA-approved State Plan.

OSHA approves and monitors all State Plans and provides as much as 50 percent of the funding for each program. State-run safety and health programs must be at least as effective (ALAE) as the federal OSHA program. OSHA provides coverage to certain workers specifically excluded from a State Plan (for example, those in some states who work in maritime industries or on military bases). To find the contact information of the OSHA or State Plan office nearest to you, call 1-800-321-OSHA or go to www.osha.gov.

The following 22 states or territories have OSHA-approved State Plans that cover both private and state and local government workers:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Oregon
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wyoming

State and Local Government Workers

Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in states that have an OSHA-approved State Plan. OSHA rules also permit states and territories to develop plans that cover state and local government workers only. In these cases, private sector workers and employers remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction.

Five additional states and one U.S. territory (Virgin Islands) have OSHA-approved State Plans that cover state and local government workers only:

• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Maine
• New Jersey
• New York
• Virgin Islands

Next question, is Florida a state-plan state?

OSHA State Plans

No. Florida is a federal OSHA state. Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by Federal OSHA.

All About OSHA

[keithbvadu2]

29. DeSantis does not have the cojones to arrest them.

DeSantis does not have the cojones to arrest them.

They are breaking the law. Right?

[LisaL]

30. Is Florida overpopulated or something?

He seems to be trying to get the population reduced.

[GulfCoast66]

32. Notice how this is only governments? Not businesses?

Disney announced a month ago that all non-union employees must be vaccinated. Has since negotiated with their largest Union that they will accept those terms. Not a peep from the Governor. Don’t fuck with the Mouse. Other businesses are lining up to follow.

But local governments he thinks he can handle. Especially since most of the ones requiring it are in Blue Cities. Which is pretty much all cities. And most employees and unions are going along.

Who is not going along? The police unions. They are full of crazy republicans. DeSantis knows blue cities would be happy to have the craziest of the police quit and make the forces more representative of their population.

[SouthernDem4ever]

35. Floriduh! Why do you vote in douche bags like Desantis?

He has to be one of the worst examples of a human being and he proves it over and over, AND NOW he's actually proud of it. Nice going!

[rockfordfile]

36. Try it. DeSantis is a un-American pos.

[geretogo]

38. This mentally deranged criminal needs to go on trial for attempted murder along with the

the Gov. of Texass .

[lagomorph777]

42. He needs to be sued for each death he causes.

[Marthe48]

48. Taking tax money from all constituents

Ultimate grift? Meglomania? Insanity?

How did this flawed creature evolve in politics?