ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed four bills into law in Destin on Thursday which make his COVID-19 policies, such as bans on vaccine and mask mandates, permanent.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis signed 4 bills into law on Thursday

  • The laws provide permanent medical protections for Floridians

  • Vaccine and mask mandates are banned

  • BELOW: Breakdowns of the 4 bills signed

“Now many years into the future,” DeSantis said. “We can say definitively Florida did it right.”

DeSantis said his new laws protect Floridians from medical mandates.

“Schools can’t mandate COVID jabs, work places can’t mandate, the vax passports, none of that stuff,” he said. “It also expands protections, not just for COVID shots, but any shot under emergency use authorization.”

One of the bills prevents the Department of Health from taking any disciplinary action against a doctor for conscience-based objections. DeSantis said it empowers doctors.

“I think it’s really important for the health of our people that physicians are able to speak the truth,” he said. “It also protects patients with the right to choose COVID-19 treatment alternatives without a hospital interfering.”

The new laws also ban gain of function research, also known as enhanced potential pandemic pathogen research, and makes clear any World Health Organization policy must be approved by the state before going into effect in Florida. DeSantis said the WHO wants to institutionalize lock down policies for future pandemics.

“We also in this bill formally reject the WHO and any of these international organizations,” he said. “If they want to adopt something, if a county or someone in Florida wants to adopt, they’ve got to get it approved by the State of Florida.”

The federal government officially ended the covid public health emergency on Thursday.

According to the Governor's office, here are the highlights of the four bills:

Senate Bill 252 – Most Comprehensive Medical Freedom Bill in the Nation:

  • Prohibiting business and governmental entities from requiring individuals to provide proof of vaccination or post-infection recovery from any disease to gain access to, entry upon, or service from such entities.
  • Prohibiting employers from refusing employment to or discharging, disciplining, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an individual solely on the basis of vaccination or immunity status.
  • Prevents discrimination against Floridians related to COVID-19 vaccination or immunity status, etc.

House Bill 1387 – Banning Gain of Function Research:

  • Prohibiting “gain of function” research, also known as enhanced potential pandemic pathogen research.

Senate Bill 1580 – Physicians Freedom of Speech:

  • Providing that health care providers and health care payors have the right to opt out of participation in or payment for certain health care services on the basis of conscience-based objections.
  • Providing requirements for a health care provider’s notice and documentation of such objection.
  • Providing whistle-blower protections for health care providers and health care payors that take certain actions or disclose certain information relating to the reporting of certain violations.
  • Prohibiting boards, or the Department of Health if there is no board, from taking disciplinary action against or denying a license to an individual based solely on specified conduct, etc.

Senate Bill 238 – Public Records/Protection from Discrimination Based on Health Care Choices

  • Providing an exemption from public records requirements for certain information relating to complaints or investigations regarding violations of provisions protecting from discrimination based on health care choices.