DeSantis introduces vaccine mandate-fighting bills

Gov. Ron DeSantis has outlined the four pieces of legislation he's fighting for in next week's special session — his latest effort to combat vaccine mandates by the Biden administration.

The bills he wants, per Florida Politics:

SB2 and HB 1B would require employers to give staff five reasons to opt out of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including pregnancy, expected pregnancy, religious reasons or immunity from previous infection as determined by a lab test, as well as those who are willing to be tested periodically and wear PPE.

• Employers who fire people for refusing to get vaccinated would be fined up to $50,000, unless the employees are reinstated.

SB 4B and HB 3B would give a public records exemption to workers' medical and religious information in cases where their employer is being investigated for violating the opt-out law.

SB 6B and HB 5B would lay the groundwork for Florida to withdraw from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and start its own occupational safety and health issues administration.

SB 8B and HB 7B would delete the provision in a Florida law that allows the state health officer to mandate vaccines during a public health emergency.