DeSantis vetoes political restrictions on state workers and appointees

Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed a bill that was intended to limit state and local officials from using their official authority or influence to solicit campaign contributions.

The legislation (HB 1445) sponsored by Melbourne Republican Debbie Mayfield also would have prohibited reimbursement for transportation expenses of agency heads who live outside of Tallahassee.

The legislative proposal was introduced after NBC News reported that two top staffers in the governor’s office were calling state lobbyists to raise money for a political committee aligned with the governor at the same time that news surfaced that First Lady Casey DeSantis was considering a run for governor. State officials denied the report.

The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate and 97-1 in the House. Palm Beach Republican Mike Caruso, an ally of the governor, was the only dissenter.




https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/07/02/desantis-vetoes-political-restrictions-on-state-workers-and-appointees/