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New generation of GOP leadership? Ron DeSantis says Florida offers ‘blueprint for success’

Florida’s Governor is arguing that not only is he part of the new generation of Republican leadership, he’s heading it with his “blueprint for success.”

Ron DeSantis was asked to respond to statements from presidential candidate Nikki Haley and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders that used the “new generation” trope, and he pointed to his record in Florida as the prime example of that forward thinking.

“Now, we’ve had a lot of success in Florida long before I was here and I appreciate a lot of that,” DeSantis said.

“But I think I was able to come in at a time where we’re able to take the bull by the horns, navigate a lot of significant issues from COVID-19 to all these other things and do it in a way that’s leading the nation on issue after issue,” DeSantis added. “And so we’ve established here in Florida a blueprint for success that other states can follow, and you don’t even need to get into the nitty gritty of everything we’ve done.”

Gov. DeSantis signs hurricane response, migrant transportation, election prosecutor bills

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three measures lawmakers passed in the Special Session dealing with Hurricane Ian recovery, giving an existing migrant transportation plan a makeover and giving the statewide prosecutor more authority to go after election crimes.

One of the most hotly contested measure (SB 6B) provides $10 million for a program allowing the DeSantis administration to transport undocumented migrants already processed by the federal government to another state. The legislation removes a requirement in the existing program that migrants be moved from Florida, instead allowing the program to transport migrants from other states.

DeSantis has argued the measure is needed to address an influx of undocumented immigrants. Democrats opposed it, saying it won’t address Florida’s problem and will waste taxpayer funds outside the state.

DeSantis introduces ‘digital bill of rights’ proposal

Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced a series of legislative proposals on Wednesday that he states will make up a ‘digital bill of rights’ aimed at bolstering data privacy and weakening censorship claims.

According to DeSantis, the proposals include requirements that ‘big tech’ companies heighten the security of private conversations, protect the right of individuals to participate in platforms without censorship, protect the right to information about how search engines utilize optimization patterns in search results, and protect the right to control personal data.

The proposals also include provisions to safeguard children from potential online targeting, including unauthorized surveillance of any private phone or text conversations. The legislation will additionally take steps to prevent the selling of personal data involving a minor.

“This is helping parents and is, of course, part of a larger effort to protect parent’s rights,” said DeSantis.

The governor also stated that if adopted, the proposal would make it illegal to access platforms like TikTok using an internet connection provided by government buildings, schools, or universities.

Donalds Introduces Bipartisan Combat Harmful Algal Blooms Act

Algae blooms can frequently harm ecosystems, and Florida has plenty of wetlands worthy of preservation. This is why Rep. Byron Donalds (R) introduces the bipartisan Combat Harmful Algal Blooms Act.

In its simplest form, this bill amends Section 102 of the Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to expand its definition of "major disasters" to include algal blooms harmful to the environment. As such, federal disaster funding would be allocated to combatting this issue in the same way funding goes to tornado and hurricane recovery.

After all, the measures describe how algae blooms such as Red Tide can contain toxic substances that kill marine life and potentially humans. Additionally, this can force beach closures, fishing restrictions, tourism declines, and property value drops.

Sponsors of the bill come from both parties, including Democrats Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Rep. Lois Frankel, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Rep. Maxwell Frost, and Rep. Kathy Castor.