TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Rumors have been circulating online that Governor Ron DeSantis was behind a bill, SB 2006, that included language allowing public health officials to vaccinate individuals by using force. But the wording of the law predates DeSantis’ time as governor.
Confusion has reigned supreme regarding Florida Statute 381.00315 (1)(4)(b) – a law that covers measures during a public health emergency. Prior to a Special Session in 2021, the statute included language which would allow for far-reaching actions in violation of the Constitutional rights of citizens:
“If the individual poses a danger to the public health, the State Health Officer may subject the individual to isolation or quarantine. If there is no practical method to isolate or quarantine the individual, the State Health Officer may use any means necessary to vaccinate or treat the individual,” the statute read.
STRICKEN FROM THE LEGAL TEXT
However, the vaccination part was stricken from the legal text in a Special Session. What Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law does not include the authority of public health officials to forcibly inject people with vaccines. The same statute currently reads:
“If the individual poses a danger to the public health, the State Health Officer may subject the individual to isolation or quarantine. If there is no practical method to isolate or quarantine the individual, the State Health Officer may use any means necessary to treat the individual.”
I STILL see the false story being shared that SB 2006 signed by @GovRonDeSantis allowed for forced vaccinations. It did not. This bizarre statute was already part of Florida Law. People misread this by not understanding what a PDF of a law looks like. Added parts are UNDERLINED.
— Chris Nelson 🇺🇸 🏝 (@ReOpenChris) January 15, 2023
One reason for this confusion is the fact that websites such as FindLaw and Justia have failed to update their databases with the current legal text. And those sources are often used by journalists and the public, as they have been considered reliable go-tos for applicable law.
Enemies of the governor have seized on the confusion regarding the statute to portray him as a would-be fascist, only biding his time before showing his true colors: rounding up Floridians for quarantine camps and force-injecting them at gunpoint.
Trump "retruthed" misinformation about this FL bill, about forced vaccine mandates.
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 30, 2023
See the explanation in the thread below. https://t.co/DqJLjwoA6R pic.twitter.com/i1rRNP1Hkw
CHAMPION FOR MEDICAL FREEDOM
Unlike the former president, Governor DeSantis has not been vocal about promoting the mRNA shots. The governor’s stance has been to follow the science – not in a dogmatic way, but to listen to as well as empower critics and dissidents.
Governor DeSantis has also taken the position that medical choices and medical information is private and personal to the individual. It is a well-established fact that he has been a champion for medical freedom, fighting against vaccine passports and various related mandates.
GRASSROOTS GROUP DEFENDS GOVERNOR
Justin Harvey, grassroots organizer for the group We Are Change Orlando, has been a vocal critic of the COVID agenda and active in trying to make local politicians and decision makers acknowledge injuries and deaths from the mRNA shots.
“This law had been on the books since 2003. As soon as grassroots medical freedom groups brought this to DeSantis’ and lawmakers’ attention, it was amended to remove the word vaccination,” Harvey tells The Florida Standard.
“To complicate matters, many were sharing the original bill language making it appear that no action was taken. I think people jumped the gun on this one. It happens,” he says.
