Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Florida will issue $5K fines each time school or business asks for proof of COVID vaccine

Florida will issue $5K fines each time school or business asks for proof of COVID vaccine

Florida is set to start fining businesses, government entities and schools up to $5,000 for asking customers or visitors to show proof they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
"Promises made, promises kept," a spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis, Taryn Fenske, said of the rule explaining the fines, according to Fox 13.

The Florida Department of Health published a rule last week titled, "Penalties for COVID-19 Vaccine Documentation Requirements," that will take effect on Sept. 16 and will result in fines of up to $5,000 being issued "per individual and separate violation." Fines will need to be paid within 30 days.

The fines come after DeSantis signed a bill in May banning vaccine passports, which he said would spur "huge" privacy concerns.

"It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society," the governor said before signing his executive order. "If you want to go to the movie theater, should you have to show that? No. If you want to go to a game, no. If you want to go to a theme park, no. … I think it’s something that people have certain freedoms and individual liberties to make decisions for themselves."

Cruise lines and businesses that mandate vaccines for their employees will be exempt from the fines.

Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, slammed the fines as DeSantis "retaliating against Floridians who are trying to protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19."

"This not only goes against common sense — it’s also an insult to the free market principles that he claims to champion," Fried, who is running to unseat DeSantis in 2022, said in the statement.

DeSantis's press secretary Christian Pushaw told Fox News of the fines that "Floridians have the right to medical privacy."

"Individual vaccination records are private health information, which should not be shared by mandate," Pushaw said. "Allowing businesses and educational institutions to require vaccine passports as a condition of entry or service would create a two-tiered society, which is unfair."

"The decision to get a COVID vaccine should be up to individuals, who have the power to make the right choices for themselves and their families. The government’s role is to provide information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, and to ensure that all eligible residents have access to the vaccines," she added.

Pushaw also noted that DeSantis has promoted monoclonal antibody treatment sites in recent weeks, but has also spoken positively of vaccines.

"Governor DeSantis is making decisions based on empirical evidence, upholding the rule of law, and protecting all Floridians’ individual rights. Defending individual rights from unjustified overreach, whether by government or business, is a legitimate use of state executive power."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
×