TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is the latest in two more cases of state restrictions under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — In Florida, the state government under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently limited the power of local governments with a newly signed bill dealing with worker safety and police oversight. Two more cases have occurred.
The bill signed Thursday prohibits local governments from requiring heat and hydration breaks for outdoor workers. And the bill Mr. DeSantis signed Friday would strip investigators from local resident police oversight boards.
Safety for outdoor workers
A bill signed by DeSantis on Thursday in Florida, one of the hottest states in the country, would prohibit local governments from requiring heat and hydration requirements for outdoor workers.
This was a direct response to Miami-Dade County's efforts to require shade and water for construction, farm and other outdoor workers.
But in a state where construction and agriculture are huge industries (Miami-Dade estimates more than 325,000 workers in the county alone), local governments have passed legislation that would prevent them from protecting workers from heat and sunlight. Critics slammed it. Democratic state Sen. Victor Torres criticized the new law as an attack on workers.
Asked about the bill Friday, DeSantis said it was an issue raised by Miami-Dade County lawmakers.
“It didn't really come from me. There was a lot of concern from one county, Miami-Dade,” DeSantis said. “They were going after what was causing a lot of problems there.”
But the law would prevent Florida's other 66 counties from requiring similar worker protections.
police surveillance
Separately, DeSantis on Friday proposed legislation that would prohibit local policy advisory boards from initiating disciplinary actions against employees and instead limit residents' boards to making policy recommendations. signed. Surrounded by law enforcement officers and in front of cheering supporters, Mr. DeSantis signed a bill that would prohibit citizen oversight boards from investigating complaints about police officers.
DeSantis said some counties have appointed activists to oversee their commissions, with some commissioners using activists as political weapons for anti-police policies.
“They don't have the freedom to use law enforcement as political officials, they don't have the freedom to create false narratives, they don't have the freedom to try to make it miserable to work in uniform,” DeSantis said. Ta. “They cannot initiate disciplinary proceedings. We have another way to do it.”
The law also requires oversight boards to be appointed under the direction of the sheriff or police chief. At least one member of the oversight committee must be a retired law enforcement officer.
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