Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom the bill is ostensibly intended to protect, is among the many Republicans who have voiced opposition to a recent bill introduced in the Florida House.
America’s Last Chance for Freedom
Since he rose to prominence on the political stage, Florida’s governor has always backed freedom of speech. This was evident during the COVID pandemic when Florida became a beacon of freedom worldwide.
Republicans state Rep. Jason Brodeur, just earlier this month, sponsored SB 1316. This would mandate that any “blogger” who earns money from posts about Florida’s governor, lieutenant governor, political appointees, or state legislators submit regular reports to the state.
According to the bill, these disclosures must announce the blogger’s earnings, the person who paid them, the publication date, and the location of the post. A punishment of up to $2,500 could be imposed for breaking the legislation.
WATCH: A proposed Florida bill that was introduced by REPUBLICAN Florida Sen. @jasonbrodeur will FORCE bloggers to register with the State if they write about DeSantis. If they don’t register, they will be fined.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL!@GovRonDeSantis IS AN ANTI FREE SPEECH TYRANT! pic.twitter.com/83PWVaccYZ
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) March 3, 2023
“Isn’t it true that everyone in the state Senate can introduce bills?” said DeSantis at a press meeting on Tuesday.
“I notice these individuals are submitting laws and there are publications with my picture that claim “bloggers will need to register with the state” and attribute it to me. Okay, I don’t accept it. I’ve never endorsed any such thing.”
The bill not only lacks DeSantis’ backing, but it also infringes on constitutional rights.
Will Creeley and Adam Steinbaugh, lawyers with the Center for Individual Freedoms and Expression, a First Amendment charity, wrote on Friday that the ability to speak privately is guaranteed by the First Amendment, in addition to free media.
Nevertheless, SB1316 would force citizens to divulge their identities to the exact government they are criticizing if they use their freedom to do so by calling out a state’s senior leaders.
Bloggers Support DeSantis
The bill was swiftly opposed. However, various critics of the Florida governor still used the legislation to point fingers at him and assign blame. It is unclear if all of these people know that DeSantis does not support the aforementioned proposal.
Reporter Zaid Jilani of NewsNation said on Tuesday, “Why were all of the people acting like the Florida measure concerning bloggers identifying with the state would succeed tomorrow with Ron DeSantis’s full endorsement?”
The bill had only one supporter. Every legislature has a few strange bills, according to the cliché.
JUST IN: Gov. Ron DeSantis kicks off “Freedom Blueprint” event in Iowa to a packed room pic.twitter.com/HHwiSfFdmb
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 10, 2023
During a news meeting on Tuesday, DeSantis vehemently dispelled suspicions regarding the bill, stating that he never backed it.
The Florida governor also pointed out that state lawmakers “have the ability to act independently since not every bill that’s been introduced is under [his] direct authority.”
While rejecting Brodeur’s bill, DeSantis backed other legislation in recent months, including a bill that would make it simpler for public officials to sue reporters for slander.
This article appeared in The Patriot Brief and has been published here with permission.
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