DeSantis vetoes bill prohibiting local plastic straw bans
The Office of Gov. Ron DeSantis reported today that the governor vetoed CS/CS/HB 771.
According to a letter from DeSantis to Secretary of State Laurel Lee, he wrote that the environmental regulation “originally addressed issues with contaminated recyclable materials, but a provision was added that includes a moratorium on local regulation of single-use plastic straws until 2024.”
DeSantis pointed out that a number of municipalities in Florida, including the city of Sanibel, town of Fort Myers Beach and Miami Beach, have enacted ordinances prohibiting single-use plastic straws.
“These measures have not, as far as I can tell, frustrated any state policy or harmed the state’s interests,” he wrote. “In fact, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has encouraged Florida residents, schools and businesses to reduce plastic straw use.”
“Under these circumstances, the state should simply allow local communities to address this issue through the political process,” DeSantis continued. “Citizens who oppose plastic straw ordinances can seek recourse by electing people who share their views.”
He concluded that for the stated reasons, he withholds his approval of HB 771 amd vetoes it.