Thread by @GovRonDeSantis

I consider myself blessed at this moment in our history, as Florida’s 46th governor, to deliver my first State of the State address before the joint session of our legislature.

In less than 60 days, my administration has taken bold action to address issues that Floridians care about including the environment, education, storm recovery, bringing accountability to entities across the state and appointing three Supreme Court justices.

I’m proud to have taken swift and bold action to protect our natural resources and improve Florida’s water quality. We have a bold vision, and with legislative support for these initiatives, we will restore and preserve the beauty of Florida for generations to come.

I’ve requested $2.5 billion over the next four years for water resources projects and Everglades restoration. This represents a $1 billion increase compared to the previous four years and will allow us to bring major projects to completion.

To those doing business in states that have a bad business and political climate, my message is this: come to Florida. We will maintain a healthy economic environment, we welcome your success and we won’t chase jobs away through economic ignorance and demagoguery.

It’s clear we need reform of our occupational licensing regime, which borders on the absurd and primarily serves to frustrate opportunities for Floridians. You can complete Army Jump School in approx. 168 hours; Florida law requires 1200 hours to become licensed as a barber.

Education opportunity shouldn’t be limited by parental income or zip code. One way Florida has expanded opportunity has been through the Tax Credit Scholarship program for students from low-income families.

We also need to stand by students with special needs and their families. That means eliminating the waitlist of 1,900 students for Gardiner Scholarships.

We are a big, diverse state and one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to education. Let’s stand with low-income families and parents of students with special needs and empower them to choose the best learning environment for their kids.

We need to enact policies to make health insurance, prescription drugs and medical care more affordable for Floridians.

I want Floridians to be able to purchase prescription drugs from Canada at lower prices. There is an avenue under existing federal law to accomplish this; the President is supportive of this effort and has asked me to plow ahead.

I’m also open to any ideas that the Legislature may have to tackle this problem. One thing is clear: Floridians need relief from the rising costs of prescription drugs.

I have gotten to know many of the families from Parkland and one thing that has stuck with me is something I’ve heard several of them say: that this was the most preventable school shooting in history.

When I took office, many of these families felt that there had not been any accountability for the string of failures that culminated in the massacre. I acted by successfully calling for a statewide grand jury investigation into school security failures in Broward County.

Regarding illegal immigration, Florida will not be a sanctuary state, we won’t allow someone here illegally to commit criminal misconduct and we won’t tolerate sanctuary cities that frustrate law enforcement by shielding criminal aliens at the expense of public safety.

The tragedy in Venezuela is a result of a failed socialist experiment – a system that is hostile to human liberty and contrary to human nature. To the Venezuelan exile community here in Florida, we stand with you and with the people who are seeking freedom and a better future.

We also know that the despair in Venezuela wouldn’t be possible without the nefarious influence of the Cuban government. I would like to see the Castro dictatorship go the way of Maduro and to see a free and democratic Cuba take its place.

I reject attempts to target Israel for disfavored treatment and will enforce the anti-BDS provisions vigorously. This whole enterprise of targeting Israel for economic harm is such a fraud and merely a cover for antisemitism. In Florida, rest assured that BDS is DOA.

I believe the leaders of Florida today are the right leaders at the right time. Many are called to serve in elected office, but only a few are actually entrusted with authority by the voters. Fewer still are presented with the opportunities we see before us today.

Let’s fight the good fight, let’s finish the race, let’s keep the faith so that when Floridians look back on the fruits of this session, they will see it as one of our finest hours. #BoldVision