Florida House again rejects Gov. Ron DeSantis’ AI, vaccine measures during special session
Florida House again rejects Gov. Ron DeSantis’ AI, vaccine measures during special session
Publish Date: 2026-04-28 14:52:00
Source Domain: www.cbsnews.com
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Vaccine Exemptions Proposal (SB 6D): Gov. Ron DeSantis’s proposal to expand vaccine exemptions for public K-12 students did not advance in both the House and Senate during the special session. House Speaker Daniel Perez expressed concerns about allowing unvaccinated students in school who might carry diseases like measles and chicken pox, arguing it was more suitable for federal intervention.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bills (SB 2D and SB 4D): DeSantis’s initiatives concerning consumers’ interactions with artificial intelligence did not advance in the House but received strong support in the Senate, which voted 37-1 in favor. Sen. Erin Grall opposed the AI measures stating they weaken protections for parents, while others backed it citing federal government priority on the matter.
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DeSantis’s Critique: DeSantis criticized the House’s refusal to advance these proposals, accusing the lawmakers of aligning with the Big Tech cartel and medical industrial complex, suggesting they would be ineffective in their re-election campaigns.
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Federal vs. State Regulation: Discussions revolved around whether state or federal government should handle AI policies, with Perez and Rep. Sam Garrison preferring the federal approach, influenced by President Trump’s executive order deeming it a national security issue.
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Senate Sentiment on AI Bill: The Senate’s support for part of the AI bill underscores a desire to protect consumer interactions with AI, while also voicing skepticism towards potential federal regulations’ effectiveness, as stated by State Rep. Anna Eskamani.
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AI Bill of Rights Features: The proposed AI Bill of Rights included measures to control children’s AI interactions, ensuring people know when they are communicating with AI or humans, and prohibiting unauthorized use of names and images.
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Separate AI-Related Legislation: The Legislature did approve a separate AI-related measure that would require companies building AI data centers to fund their own utilities, though, not strictly related to DeSantis’s direct initiatives.
