Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t used his veto power much following the latest legislative session, but he nixed two more bills on Friday.
That followed his somewhat surprising veto of a highly anticipated, unanimously passed bill that would have added statewide regulations for e-bikes amid growing concerns about safety, especially for children.
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DeSantis’ latest vetoes were related to naturopathic medicine (SB 688) and education and workforce development for inmates (HB 325).
Naturopathic medicine
In a letter to Secretary of State Cord Byrd, DeSantis explained his decision to veto SB 688, which would have provided for the regulation and licensing of naturopathic medicine in Florida.
DeSantis pointed out that the bill would have required the Department of Health to establish the Board of Naturopathic Medicine to oversee naturopathic doctors and authorize a licensure fee, and that it would have required individuals to receive a license to practice from an accredited institution -- all of which are out of state.
In the letter, DeSantis argues that Florida law already lets licensed providers use naturopathic methods and recommend natural remedies, and that many natural remedies are already accessible without prescriptions.
He warned the bill could hurt current alternative-medicine workers by forcing expensive, out-of-state postgraduate education and new fees.
“Rather than relying on additional bureaucracy, Florida will continue to pursue practical solutions that promote transparency and accountability to better serve Florida families,” DeSantis wrote.
Workforce education for inmates
DeSantis’ letter to the secretary of state about HB 325 expressed concerns about public safety that could arise from a program that would be created by the bill.
The bill would have created a new prison program to train inmates for Class A and B commercial driver’s licenses.
But DeSantis said he objected to it because it would let inmates drive state-owned commercial vehicles outside prison fences (under officer supervision), which he says burdens corrections staff and raises public safety risks on public roads.
He added that Florida can support workforce development and the trucking industry through existing oversight by the Departments of Corrections and Transportation without creating new risks.