Governor Ron DeSantis held his daily press briefing in Tallahassee on Thursday, outlining additional measures to curb the COVID-19 virus and help Floridians get through the difficult period.
Speaking to reporters for roughly 30 minutes, DeSantis issued two executive orders aimed at helping alleviate concerns many in the state have as an economic collapse leads to more businesses closing and laying off workers.
The first executive order looks to fix the state’s broken unemployment website. With Florida’s jobless claims tripling over the past week, the state’s unemployment system continues to crash. DeSantis said the state is working to boost manpower and beef up the website to ensure people can file claims.
“This system is not handling the needs of the people of Florida in an adequate way,” DeSantis says of the unemployment system.
The Republican governor order is asking heads from agencies around the state to identify workers who may be available to help prop up the system by taking unemployment calls.
DeSantis also signed an executive order suspending all evictions and foreclosures in the state for 45 days amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The executive order goes into effect today and will run through May 17. The order, however, does not relieve an individual from their obligation to make mortgage or rent payments.
🚨@GovRonDeSantis Issues Executive Order 20-94🚨
This order provides targeted, temporary relief from certain mortgage foreclosures and evictions for 45 days, without relieving an individual’s obligation to make mortgage payments and rent payments. pic.twitter.com/KUaqsVGkPf
— George Gainer (@SenatorGainer) April 2, 2020
The governor also defended his decision to override local counties’ power to ban religious gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying that services are needed now more than ever. DeSantis said he doesn’t think the government “has the authority to close the church.”
“In times like this, I think the service they’re performing is going to be important to people,” DeSantis told reporters. “I think particularly coming up in the Easter season, I think people are going to want to have access to religious services.”
Gov. DeSantis “In times like this, I think the service they’re performing is going to be important to people…I think particularly coming up in the Easter season, I think people are going to want to have access to religious services.” https://t.co/8G58NgYeDJ pic.twitter.com/7DpdNgqv7d
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) April 2, 2020
This is a breaking story. Check back for additional updates.
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