With Gov. Ron DeSantis offering his second State of the State address on Tuesday,
Members of the DeSantis administration, not surprisingly, applauded the governor for his speech.
“I applaud Governor DeSantis on his State of the State address and commitment to removing burdensome regulations for hardworking Floridians. His leadership on occupational licensing reform is resulting in real improvements to the state’s business and professional climate. I look forward to continuing our work on these issues together in 2020 and throughout the legislative session,” said Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR) Sec. Halsey Beshears.
“I thank Governor DeSantis for his leadership and guidance in keeping Florida’s citizens safe. Under the governor’s direction, FDLE is finalizing a threat assessment statewide strategy. This cutting-edge strategy will have a positive impact on public safety by identifying individuals on the pathway to violence and implementing a plan to manage or reduce the threat,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Swearingen. “Governor DeSantis is also recommending the expansion of Florida’s statewide genetic genealogy program, additional resources for FDLE labs and bolstering the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Trust Fund used to provide training to Florida’s law enforcement officers. I look forward to working with the governor, Florida Cabinet and the Legislature in 2020.”
Members of the business community and their allies also praised the governor’s address.
“As Governor DeSantis said, Florida’s legal system is supposed to address real injuries and disputes, not to be used as a game,” said William Large, the president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute. “Those games clog the courts and frustrate Florida’s growth. With Governor DeSantis at the helm, Florida is a better place now, and with his leadership, Florida and its people will continue to grow and prosper.”
Terrie Rizzo, the chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, took aim at DeSantis in her take on his speech.
“Governor Ron DeSantis could have worked to start this new decade off on a plan that helps all Floridians, but instead he continues to push an agenda that creates haves and have-nots,” Rizzo said. “He heaps praise on charter schools while forcing public schools to compete with for-profit charters for public funds. He talks about raising pay in our schools but offers a plan that leaves senior teachers behind along with so many workers in our schools. DeSantis loves to talk about civil rights, yet he has continued to block the voting rights of Florida citizens that have served their time. DeSantis talks about lowering prescription drug costs, but his only solution is to tell people to buy Canadian. All the while, the governor has refused to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of Floridians who need access to health care. DeSantis has a plan, it is a plan to leave working Floridians behind. Florida deserves better!”
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