(MIAMI) Guns, gender identity, racial diversity… The Florida Legislature opens its session Tuesday with some of the most controversial bills led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is flirting with a 2024 presidential bid.
A rising star on the hard right, the Sunshine State’s governor has vowed to make his state a laboratory of conservative ideas, hoping they will propel him toward the White House.
During their legislative session, Florida’s elected officials will examine a bill aimed at outlawing programs that promote diversity at public universities, or even a text that would make it easier to pursue defamation lawsuits against the media.
Also in the menu, text that further restricts the teaching of subjects related to sexual orientation or gender identity. The measure, nicknamed “don’t tell gay” by its opponents, comes into effect in primary schools from 2022. This will now be extended to middle school students as well.
Given the enormous influence the 44-year-old Republican, who holds majorities in both houses of the Florida legislature, enjoys in his party, all of these texts stand a good chance of being accepted.
“The bills he’s asking us are a series of things that we’ve been talking about for a long time, but haven’t had the guts to do,” said Kathleen Pacidomo, president of the southeastern state senate in the eastern part of the country. February.
“We will ensure that his plan is accepted,” he assured.
“The Great Exodus”
The agenda in question isn’t limited to education: A bill that would greatly loosen restrictions on carrying weapons in his state should satisfy his ultra-conservative allies as well.
And the long-awaited presidential bid will continue to give the governor the media attention many candidates dream of.
Ron DeSantis, however, is opposed to the idea of entering the arena early and facing mano-a-mano his biggest rival, Donald Trump, who has already started dressing him up with his famous nicknames.
Instead, the former congressman has embarked on a grand tour of the country, eager to grow his political capital beyond his state’s borders.
and to promote his memories, was skillfully baptized Dare to be free: Florida as a model for justifying America.
He went to California on Sunday — which leans mostly Democratic — to defend all the principles he wants to call “the free state of Florida.”
“We’ve seen a huge exodus from states governed by left-wing politicians,” he said from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library not far from Los Angeles.
This is supported by recent US Census data showing hundreds of thousands of people leaving states like California and New York.
Instead, he asserted somewhat provocatively, “In states like Florida that are governed by proven principles, you’ll see massive increases (in population). »
