DeSantis Signs New Iran Sanctions, Funding for Jewish Schools and Hurricane Idalia Relief

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a series of bills on Monday from Florida’s Special Legislative Session last week. DeSantis received a total of four from the legislature – all of which were passed with much bipartisan support. 

Heading into the special session, a lot of attention was given to the governor’s call for formal support for Florida’s Jewish community amid the escalated conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as increasing pressure from the State of Florida toward companies affiliated with the Iranian government. 

As a result, Florida lawmakers passed HB 5C and HB 7C. 

HB 5C – sponsored by Rep. John Snyder (R-Palm City) – expanded Florida’s scrutinized companies list to now include companies that have ties to nearly all of Iran’s industries like those in the manufacturing, construction, financial, and metal sectors, among others. 

HB 7C – sponsored by Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay) – allocates $45 million to improve security at Florida nonprofits – like religious schools, museums, or synagogues – that would include money for barriers, fences, and security officers. 

HB 1C – sponsored by Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Blountstown) – was the Hurricane Idalia financial aid package. Included in the bill were provisions like: $37.5 million timber grant assistance, $5 million for rural infrastructure funds and $50 million to the Florida Department of Emergency Management recovery program, $176.17 million to the My Safe Florida Home program, among other provisions. 

Lastly, HB 3C – sponsored by Rep. Josie Tomkow (R-Auburndale) – expanded Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship Program that “revised the number of students eligible to participate” in school choice options. The scholarship program affords families the ability to apply for the scholarship and subsequently be able to enroll their children in the family’s private school of choice. 

HB 3C increases the cap for “students with unique abilities” so that more families can now access the scholarship’s funding to be able to accommodate their child with appropriate education opportunities and resources. 

Numerous Florida Democrats made themselves known during debate of the bills that they opposed the idea of school choice, but many expressed support for the bill even if they disliked the nature of school choice expansion.