DeSantis signs pair of bills to ‘strengthen protections for consumers’

Garrett Phillips
·1 min read
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Governor Ron DeSantis signed a pair of bills while speaking to the media in Jacksonville on Thursday.

The governor signed HB 989 and HB 1291, which DeSantis said will “strengthen Florida’s protections for consumers, teachers, and employees from being forced to adopt ideologies or reflect a preferred political behavior.”

According to the Governor’s office, the bills do the following:

HB 989

  • Increases protection for customers of financial institutions operating in Florida from unwarranted account cancellations and restrictions through a coordinated complaint and investigatory process within the Office of Financial Regulation.

  • Removes Florida’s exclusive preference of holding public funds with banks, particularly with out-of-state big banks, by allowing community-based credit unions to hold public funds.

  • Permits the Chief Financial Officer to have a dedicated consumer-liaison for assistance dealing with the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

HB 1291

  • Prohibits teacher preparation programs from indoctrinating prospective teachers by teaching distorted versions of significant historical events; and

  • Prevents the infusion of identity politics in teaching methods and prohibits instructing that theories such as systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in America’s institutions.

“We reject a global elite trying to force their ideology on us by capturing major institutions,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We are not going to allow big banks to discriminate based on someone’s political or religious beliefs, and we will continue to fight back against indoctrination in education and the workplace.”

You can watch the full news conference on the video player above.

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