Governor DeSantis signs 11 bills, vetoes one bill
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the following bills:
HB 5001-E – General Appropriations Act
HB 5003-E – Implementing the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act
HB 5701-E – Petroleum Cleanup Programs
HB 5601-E – Higher Education
HB 5301-E – Health Care
HB 5205-E – Retirement
HB 5201-E – Collective Bargaining
HB 7031-E – Taxation
SB 2506-E – Fuel Taxes
SB 2508-E – State Agency Law Enforcement Radio System
SB 7040 – Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/Executive Office of the Governor
To view the House transmittal letter, click here.
To view the Senate transmittal letters, click here.
Governor DeSantis also vetoed the following bill:
HB 5403-E – Correctional Facilities Financing and Capital Improvements
DeSantis wrote, “During my time as Governor, Florida has paid off over fifty percent of its historical
debt. While the federal debt clock continues to tick up, Florida’s ticks down. Florida has reduced its debt from $17.5 billion to $8.7 billion since 2018, paying off approximately $3 million a day.
“In my budget recommendations, I proposed a pay increase for correctional officers totaling almost $374 million. However, this was not contingent on incurring massive new debt obligations for constructing a new prison hospital.
“This bill takes a D.C. swamp approach to correctional pay, attempting to force the state to take on new debt to build a prison hospital by holding hostage pay increases for our hard-working correctional officers. This is not a game I am willing to play. We cannot reduce debt with one hand while adding debt with another.
“For this reason, I withhold my approval of HB 5403E and do hereby veto the same.”
To view the veto letter, click here.
As a spouse of a correctional officer, though this is a hard blow, I agree with Gov. DeSantis. A prison hospital may sound like a great idea, but investments in infrastructure need to be made within the prisons, not a prison hospital. Hopefully, next year prison salary increases will be back on the list as a stand alone proposal, and not as a $2.00 per hour increase. Other state LEO agencies across the state are making several thousand dollars more to start. These brave men and women have one of the most dangerous jobs in the state and deserve a living wage. They face danger beyond imagination each day, they are always short staffed, and call-outs are high due to the stress that they endure. A greater salary for these employees would help to ensure employee retention, and make life better financially. I want to further encourage an additional bill to address the infrastructure of our prisons… The most dangerous prison in our state is literally crumbling away. Cells with locks that jam and don’t operate properly, inadequate heating, no cooling in summer months, rats running everywhere, not to mention antiquated technology and safety equipment. The Great State of Florida can do better, I have faith!