DeSantis vetoes bill requiring Florida Department of Health to issue warnings for unsafe water

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have required the Florida Department of Health to take steps — including possibly preventing people from swimming in water off beaches — if water quality did not meet standards.

DeSantis’ office announced Wednesday night that he had vetoed four bills, including the water-quality measure (HB 165), which was unanimously approved by the Legislature in March.

The bill, in part, would have required the department to issue health advisories if water quality off beaches and in other water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, did not meet standards, according to a House staff analysis. It would have required the department to close access to such waters if deemed necessary “to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”

But DeSantis, in a veto letter, objected to the amount of authority that would have been given to the Department of Health.

“Health departments like DOH can serve a valuable function, but they should not be vested with the power to supersede local jurisdictions regarding the operation of beaches,” the veto letter said. “I have made water quality and protecting Florida’s natural resources a priority and my administration will continue to do so, but this grant of power to DOH over Florida beaches is ill-advised.”

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