Florida Gov. DeSantis to Ban COVID 'Vaccine Passports'
Governor to issue an executive order in state
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would issue an executive order banning “vaccine passports” from being used by governments and businesses as proof residents have been vaccinated.
DeSantis convened at the state Capitol to sign into law a bill that would ban COVID-related lawsuits against businesses that have made good-faith efforts to comply with coronavirus guidelines.
The Republican governor said he would also take the additional step of barring businesses from refusing to serve people who can't prove vaccination.
“It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply participate in normal society,” Gov. DeSantis said.
DeSantis called one Republican-led Legislature to send him a measure for his signature to enshrine the matter into law.
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DeSantis has used his executive authority to preempt local governments from enforcing mask mandates.
The news comes as more Floridians became eligible for vaccinations after the minimum age was lowered to 40.
Don Jr. blasts push for “Vaccine passports,” says “Authoritarian leftists want a Chinese-styled social credit system here”
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) March 29, 2021
READ MORE: https://t.co/hKAR9KPCkX
DeSantis said allowing governments and businesses to require proof of vaccinations would be “an unprecedented expansion” of public and private power.
The news comes amid reports the Biden administration was working on COVID-19 vaccine passports for Americans to use as proof of vaccination via a scannable code similar to an airline boarding pass.
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The Washington Post reported:
“The administration’s initiative has been driven largely by arms of the Department of Health and Human Services, including an office devoted to health information technology, said five officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the effort."
Earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new Government pilot program requiring residents of New York to show a COVID-19 passport to enter businesses.
The plan is to test the “Excelsior Pass,” which will use technology to confirm if a person is vaccinated or has had a recent negative COVID-19 test.
“We’re doing everything we can to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, as quickly as possible, while keeping the infection rate down and re-energizing our economy in a safe, smart way,” Cuomo said at the time.
“The Excelsior Pass will play a critical role in getting information to venues and sites in a secure and streamlined way, allowing us to fast-track the reopening of these businesses and getting us one step closer to reaching a new normal,” he added.
