DeSantis bans local governments from protecting workers from heat and limits police oversight boards

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is seeing two more recent instances of state government under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis limiting the powers of local government with newly-signed bills that deal with worker safety and police oversight. A bill signed Thursday bans local governments from requiring heat and water breaks for outdoor workers. And a bill DeSantis signed Friday strips local citizen police oversight boards from investigating officers. DeSantis explained the outdoor worker bill is because of Miami-Dade County’s efforts to require water and shade breaks for construction, farm and other outdoor workers. On Friday, DeSantis also signed a bill to ban local policy advisory commissions from initiating disciplinary actions against police officers.