Gov. Ron DeSantis's Far-Right Wish List: Abortion Ban, Curriculum Restrictions, Expanded Capital Punishment and More
Key Highlights :
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has sought to elevate his stock with his Republican base this year by checking off many boxes on a far-right wish list of laws. These include a six-week abortion ban, restrictions on gender-transition care for minors, and teaching about sexual orientation. He has also expanded capital punishment and who can carry a concealed firearm in his state, while targeting Disney and removing a requirement that he resign as governor to run for president.
The flurry of bill-signings and a culture-war agenda has laid the groundwork for the candidacy of Mr. DeSantis, who is seeking to position himself as a viable alternative to former President Donald J. Trump. In April, the governor signed a law that made Florida one of the nation’s most restrictive states for reproductive rights. This replaced a bill he had signed earlier in the year, before the Supreme Court abandoned 50 years of legal precedent on abortion.
In mid-May, Mr. DeSantis signed a measure prohibiting gender-transition care for minors and restricting it for adults. The law imposed a penalty of up to five years in prison for doctors who violate the ban. It also includes language that prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity.
The governor also put his signature on a bill punishing businesses that admit minors to “adult live performances” such as strip clubs and making it a misdemeanor trespassing offense for people to use bathrooms in public buildings that do not correspond to their sex at birth. In March, Mr. DeSantis gave conservatives another trophy, when he signed legislation expanding a one-year-old state law, which critics have referred to as “identity politics”.
In April, Mr. DeSantis signed a bill that no longer requires a unanimous vote by 12 members of a jury to sentence a person to die. This is expected to face legal challenges from criminal justice reform groups. Around the same time, the governor signed a law that expands who can carry a concealed firearm in his state.
In May, Mr. DeSantis signed a measure that weakened tenure protections and prohibited the teaching of “identity politics”. He also put his seal of approval on a bill creating a $8,000-per-year benefit per student, which does not have an income eligibility cap.
Mr. DeSantis has also signed legislation that targets Disney and its autonomy over a special taxing district that is home to Disney World. He has also banned local governments from issuing ID cards to undocumented immigrants and required hospitals to collect data on health care costs associated with that population.
The governor has also signed a law to create a veil of secrecy over who is paying for his travel and how he is dividing his time as governor and a presidential candidate. He is also expected to sign a bill that would immediately let him run for president without resigning as governor.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has sought to elevate his stock with his Republican base this year by checking off many boxes on a far-right wish list of laws. From abortion bans and curriculum restrictions to expanded capital punishment and concealed carry access, the governor has taken a sharp right turn on a number of issues. His flurry of bill-signings and a culture-war agenda have laid the groundwork for his candidacy for president, as he seeks to position himself as a viable alternative to former President Donald J. Trump.
