Florida lawmakers passed four new bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis on November 13 and have only until November 28 to act on the goals to secure Jewish institutions and fight antisemitism.
The Florida House and Senate met to discuss issues such as hurricane relief and security funding for ethnic organizations. They also exchanged remarks about the Israel-Hamas war.
Florida Lawmakers Pass New Bills
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis answers questions from the media in the Florida Cabinet following his "State of the State" address during a joint session of the Florida Senate and House of Representatives at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, on March 7, 2023. - DeSantis positioned himself Tuesday as the leading Republican alternative to White House candidate Donald Trump, launching a legislative session that offers red meat for the ex-president's base as the party's rising star weighs his own 2024 campaign.
Florida lawmakers have sent the new four bills to DeSantis to impose extensive business authorizations on Iran and safeguard Jewish institutions and black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs.
The lawmakers also discussed providing consolation money for the industries damaged by Hurricane Idalia and working on students who qualified for school voucher scholarships.
On November 6, the legislative session started with the opening statement and prayer, led by David Schaecter, a Holocaust survivor, in a heavy German accent.
The session remained heart-wrenching to take action when Schaecter recalled that he watched the Nazis kill his mother and little sisters with machine guns when he was ten years old.
"I urge you all to stand with me and view the world through my eyes, as someone who watched marches and protests in Europe that led to gas chambers and mass graves," he told the room full of legislators. "I am here to tell you that our world needs a rude awakening," he said.
He said the increasing protests encouraged hate crimes. He urged to stop and fight antisemitism, which was rampant across America now and threatened the safety of the Jewish students on campuses.
Sen. Alexis Calatayud, a Republican and the sponsor of SB 6-C said they aim to make Florida the second-safest place for Jewish people this week.
Calatayud added before they voted that antisemitism was a corrosive stain on the soul of human history.
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Antisemitism in Florida
Antisemitism in Florida increased by 400 percent, so providing more funding to secure Jewish schools, mosques, Holocaust museums, and other institutions was vital to safeguarding Jewish people.
According to The Guardian, councilors in Mount Dora have decided to affiliate with Safe Place, a historic and eclectic small city famous for its antique stores, art galleries, and festivals, to provide victims of hate crimes a temporary home if they feel threatened.
Democratic senators were even eager to pass the bill as it would raise funding for security at black institutions.
Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Democrat from Broward County, said that he does not want to hear another black kid getting killed in his district. He said that every child's life was priceless and could not be paid in dollars as it was worth more than that.
Democratic state Sen. Rosalind Osgood, also from Broward County, said that hate was never right as we live in a fallen world that can be dominated by people who do evil things.
The vote on the bill became an emotional moment for the Jacksonville-area state senators as they were still grieving from their hometown tragedy on August 26 when a white man shot at a Dollar General store and killed three black people.
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