JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills from this year\u2019s legislative session into law Wednesday afternoon, during a news conference at the Florida State College of Jacksonville\u2019s South Campus.<\/p>\n
First, the governor signed Senate Bill 1134<\/a>, which prohibits counties and municipalities from funding or promoting or taking official action as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The bill\u2019s sponsor was Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough, who was on hand for the signing, along with Jacksonville Republican Rep. Dean Black, who had worked on a similar version of the legislation in the House.<\/p>\n DeSantis explained the bill provides for potential removal from office for any public official who violates the prohibition.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I\u2019ve found in this business is when people know there\u2019s accountability, they\u2019re much more apt to toe the line and do what the law requires,\u201d DeSantis said.<\/p>\n Yarborough cited spending on several specific DEI-related items by local governments around the state as examples of why the bill was needed.<\/p>\n \u201cAt a time where, you know, families in Florida are struggling to afford gas, to afford groceries, struggling to make ends meet, why are cities spending those hard earned taxpayer dollars on DEI initiatives that, number one, are wrong, but number two, have failed to deliver on the very claim that they have purported to do and the goal that they have said that they would meet?\u201d Yarborough said. \u201cSo the bill is important, it\u2019s necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n The law takes effect Jan. 1.<\/p>\n The governor also signed House Bill 1217<\/a>, which prohibits governmental entities from adopting certain \u201cnet zero\u201d energy policies. The governor called it an \u201canti-carbon tax\u201d bill, which he happened to sign on Earth Day. Rep. Berny Jacques of Pinellas County was the sponsor of that bill, and was on hand for its signing.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, this bill is about three things,\u201d Jacques said. \u201cIt\u2019s about affordability, reliability, and jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor also addressed the ongoing wildfires in the state, referring back to the state of emergency he extended on April 10th, related to drought and fire conditions. DeSantis said the Florida Division of Emergency Management is working with the Florida Forestry Service.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve all been working very hard on this to mitigate this stuff,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cThis has been by far the most active season that we\u2019ve had certainly in recent memory.\u201d<\/p>\n With a special legislative session scheduled for next week, slated to take up redistricting, along with bills related to medical freedom and AI, the governor suggested that another special session will take place later on, to address property tax reform.<\/p>\n