TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida businesses could soon face fines of $10,000 to $50,000 if they require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine without offering certain exemptions, after the Florida Legislature on Wednesday voted to approve a bill pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The bill, HB 1B, passed the House on a 78-39 vote and the Senate on a 24-14 vote. The votes were mostly along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed, but Rep. James Bush, D-Miami, joined Republicans voting in favor in the House vote.
Many Republicans who debated the bill argued it was a way to push back against the vaccine requirement for businesses issued by President Joe Biden’s administration through an executive order.
