Ron DeSantis’ most controversial laws in Florida: immigration, censored books, Disney...

Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature and state Governor Ron DeSantis have passed several controversial laws in recent months and over the years, primarily related to immigration, the LGBTIQ+ community, gun carrying and abortion .

Here is a summary of the laws that have been passed in Florida recently and the implications they have.

Ron DeSantis' most controversial laws in Florida: immigration, censored books, Disney...

Immigration

The legislature recently passed the bill, S.B. 1718, endorsed by DeSantis, which will tighten the requirements for companies to verify the immigration status of workers. It will also provide more funds for the immigrant resettlement program.

Abortion

The Florida Legislature also approved a bill that bans most abortions in the state after six weeks, with new exceptions for rape, incest and human trafficking which allow the procedure up to 15 weeks. However, the exceptions will only apply if the woman presents a restraining order, police report, medical record or other evidence.

Carrying firearms

Under prior Florida law, people seeking to carry concealed weapons in public must obtain a license from the state and must complete certain requirements to obtain one. These include a background check, licensing, and firearms training. The new law, approved by the legislature, eliminates the existing requirements, allowing weapons to be carried without a permit.

"Don't say gay" law

Under the Parental Rights in Education Act (HB 1557), known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, public school teachers in Florida are prohibited from teaching in the classroom about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels.

Forbidden books

In March of last year, the Governor passed a law that prohibits the instruction of certain content, which according to the measure, is not appropriate at certain ages, such as gender identity, race, minorities, blacks, and the history of slavery in the United States, among others.

Another law (HB 1467) requires schools to maintain a database of information on each book in their collections so that parents can refer to them and determine if there is any inappropriate content.

Laws against Disney

DeSantis has been at odds with the company since Disney publicly criticized the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law. The governor, with the help of the legislature, voided several contracts with the company, as well as dissolved the district’s old governing board and created in its place a Central Florida Tourism Oversight District designated by DeSantis.

Death penalty

On April 20, a bill proposed by DeSantis was signed into law, which, among other things, eliminates the requirement for unanimity by a jury to decide a death sentence. It also reduces from 12 to 8 the number of jurors needed to recommend the death penalty.