Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Fairness In Women’s Sports Act” into law Tuesday. The Act bans transgender girls or boys who are transitioning into girls, from competing in women’s sports in the state of Florida. The measure states “athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls may not be open to students of the male sex.”
The law has received criticism from Democrats and some from the NCAA. “We believe in the state of Florida of protecting the fairness and the integrity of women’s athletics,” DeSantis said in a news conference call from Jacksonville. “we believe that it’s very important that the integrity of those competitions are preserved. That these opportunities are protected.”
The trans-athlete ban bases fairness for women athletes on a student’s biological sex on their birth certificate, at the time of their birth. The ban applies to public “interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams or sports” in the state of Florida.
“We’re gonna go based off biology, not based off ideology when we’re doing sports” added DeSantis. This has been an uphill battle around the country for many female athletes who are losing their hard-earned records and medals to girls who are biologically men.
Connecticut track athlete Selina Soule says she has lost out on many opportunities due to trans-athletes competing. “My chances of being first, of being the best, were shattered,” said Soule. “Everyone should have the chance to participate in sports, but they need to compete where it’s most fair” she added.
Many are critical at the timing of DeSantis’ law, as well as the message. Tuesday ironically is the first day of Pride Month, when gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities are celebrated during the month. DeSantis vehemently stated of the timing, “it’s not a message to anything other than saying, we’re gonna protect fairness in women’s sports. We believe it’s important to have integrity in the competition, and we think it’s important that they’re able to compete on a level playing field.”
DeSantis Attacked by Media for Prioritizing COVID Vaccines for Elderly
Given all that we know about COVID-19 and the severe risk it poses to the elderly population, it should not be controversial that a governor has chosen to give senior citizens in his state priority for getting the coronavirus vaccine.
Only, it’s a Republican governor, so that changes everything. Now, it’s racist and a scheme to obtain votes for reelection.
Last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said his administration was focusing vaccine efforts on “communities that had high levels of seniors.”
In response, an NBC News headline stated: “Florida governor accused of playing politics with Covid vaccine.”
CBS News decried the plan: “The zip codes are two of the county’s wealthiest and whitest,”
The Washington Post noted: “Ron DeSantis (R) unveiled a ‘pop-up’ clinic offering coveted coronavirus vaccines in an affluent, mostly White part of Manatee County.”
“How has he played politics with the coronavirus vaccine?,” writes BizPacReview, “By zeroing in his state’s vaccine coronavirus efforts on communities that contain a large number of seniors, regardless of race, gender and other immutable traits.”
BizPacReview writes:
According to NBC News, the true reason why DeSantis picked these zip codes is that senior citizens are “one of Florida’s most potent voting blocs.”
The left-wing outlet also complained that, by vaccinating seniors first, the governor had violated the CDC’s extremely controversial original vaccine distribution guidelines.
So, why is it the media are attacking DeSantis with such furor over a logical plan to vaccinate the most at-risk population first?
BizPac speculates it has nothing to do with science and everything to do with taking the heat off off New York Governor Andrew Cuomo:
Overall, this seems like yet another non-scandal scandal about DeSantis. But why? And why now? The theory from some observers is that the media is trying to distract from the real scandal threatening to engulf New York Gov. Cuomo.
The media is actually outraged that Ron DeSantis is making it easier for elderly people to get vaccinated in Florida
Maybe if he put sick patients into nursing homes, leading to thousands of deaths, and then covered it up he could get positive press—even an Emmy, perhaps?
????
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 21, 2021
DeSantis Signs Bill To Keep Florida Businesses Safe From 'Frivolous COVID-19' Lawsuits
Florida businesses and health care centers will now be protected against frivolous coronavirus lawsuits with a new bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
Although lawsuits that are still determined to be credible will have the ability to proceed, Bill SB 72 will specify requirements for lawsuits alleging virus-related damages and “deter unfounded lawsuits against individuals, businesses, health care providers, and other entities.”
“Today I was pleased to sign SB 72 to protect Florida’s businesses and health care providers against frivolous COVID-19 lawsuits,” the Republican governor, who was one of the first state leaders to completely open his state amid the pandemic, leaving regulatory decisions up to local leaders and individual entities, tweeted Monday.
He added that the legislation “protects the livelihoods of Floridians.”
The law notes that health care workers “must be able to remain focused on serving the health care needs of their respective communities and not on the potential for unfounded lawsuits.”
Thank you to President @WiltonSimpson, Speaker @ChrisSprowls and members of the Florida Legislature for answering my call and quickly passing this legislation that protects the livelihoods of Floridians.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 29, 2021
The Florida Chamber of Commerce pointed out that certain legal actions “may seem reasonable” in the midst of COVID-19, but people “may attempt to construe these actions differently in hindsight when calm is restored.”
Similar language in the bill, backed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, applies to businesses and other entities. The legislation adds that while certain legal actions “may seem reasonable” amid COVID-19, people “may attempt to construe these actions differently in hindsight when calm is restored.”
“One of our top priorities since day one of the pandemic, with your signature, [Florida]’s job creators no longer have to fear frivolous lawsuits as we continue relaunching [Flordia]’s economy,” the state’s Chamber of Commerce tweeted Monday.
We also thank @WiltonSimpson, @ChrisSprowls, & @JimmyPatronis for making these common-sense protections a top priority at the Capitol this session.
— Florida Chamber (@FlChamber) March 29, 2021
