Florida will start fining businesses, schools and local governments for discriminating based on vaccination status starting this month
Florida businesses, schools and local governments will be fined $5000 every time they ask for proof of CoVid 19 vaccination for entry.
Governor DeSantis issued an executive order prohibiting what he calls “vaccine passports” in April, and the state legislature subsequently passed a bill making the ban into law in May.
The fines will begin September 16.
“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 be able to participate in normal society,” the governor said before signing his executive order.
“If you want to go to the movie theater, should you have to show that? No. If you want to go to a game, no. If you want to go to a theme park, no. … I think it’s something that people have certain freedoms and individual liberties to make decisions for themselves.”
Speaking about those already recovered from CoVid 19, DeSantis said, “They have immunity. Many of them are not getting vaccinated because they’re already immune. So, we don’t believe that that’s good policy to allow that [passports].”
“Promises made, promises kept,” DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske said Wednesday.
The statute reads that a business entity “…may not require patrons or customers to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-infection recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business operations in this state.”