Ron DeSantis

DeSantis appointed Anastasios Kamoutsas as Florida's education commissioner, with the Florida Board of Education confirming him on June 4, 2025. Kamoutsas replaced Manny Diaz Jr. in the position at the Department of Education. The appointment was confirmed during a board meeting held at Miami Dade College in Miami.

DeSantis signed legislation prohibiting the construction of golf courses, hotels, and other commercial amenities on Florida state park land. The bill became law despite the governor's administration having previously pursued plans to develop such facilities within state parks. The signed measure restricts future development projects on state-owned parkland.

DeSantis announced at a news conference in Miami on May 6, 2025, that he would sign legislation enacting a statewide ban on local governments adding fluoride to tap water. The bill would prohibit municipalities from fluoridating municipal water supplies, removing discretion from local authorities on the practice. DeSantis made the announcement while questioning the practice, stating "Why should this be forced on people?"

On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis threatened to veto a Republican proposal to cut the state sales tax, stating the idea was "dead on arrival." DeSantis indicated a preference for property tax cuts as an alternative fiscal approach. The governor's veto threat effectively blocked consideration of the sales tax reduction measure.

DeSantis announced that more than 1,120 individuals were arrested during an immigration enforcement operation in Florida known as Tidal Wave Operation, conducted in coordination with Immigration Customs and Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations office. DeSantis stated at a news conference in Miramar that he viewed the operation as an initial phase of enforcement efforts. The governor indicated that additional operations of this nature were planned to follow.

Florida lawmakers unanimously passed legislation in 2024 to reverse a 2023 law that would have required middle and high schools throughout the state to implement later start times beginning in 2026. The bill was sent to Governor DeSantis for his consideration. Pinellas and Pasco county schools had not yet implemented the earlier mandate before the reversal took effect.

DeSantis signed a death warrant on Tuesday ordering the execution of Glen Rogers for the 1995 murder of Tina Cribbs in Gibsonton. Rogers, known as the "Casanova Killer," is scheduled to be executed on May 15. The execution follows Rogers's conviction and death sentence for the Hillsborough County killing.

DeSantis appointed former state attorney Andrew Bain as an Orange County judge on Tuesday. Bain had previously served as Orange-Osceola state attorney after DeSantis appointed him to that position in August 2023, following the governor's suspension of his predecessor Monique Worrell in 2023. Bain was subsequently ousted from the state attorney position in November by Worrell's return to office.

DeSantis signed legislation in 2023 that expanded Florida's regulatory oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, intermediaries that manage prescription drug benefits for insurers and employers. Under this law, the state began demanding that pharmacy benefit managers provide patient names and prescription information to state authorities. The measure represented DeSantis's effort to increase state scrutiny of the pharmaceutical supply chain intermediaries.

DeSantis signed legislation to address illegal immigration on February 13, 2025, with Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton present at the signing. The legislation was enacted without provisions requiring businesses to use E-Verify, after Democratic efforts to include such a mandate were ruled out of order by Republican senators. The specific bill titles and detailed provisions are not identified in the available article text.

DeSantis signed two bills on February 13, 2025, that were passed during a special session of the Florida Legislature to establish enhanced penalties for immigrants present in the country illegally. The legislation was described by DeSantis as the "strongest legislation to combat illegal immigration of any state in the entire country." The bills represent the state's statutory response to immigration enforcement through the criminal justice system.

A compromise bill would phase out DeSantis's migrant transportation program by 2027, requiring any future transportation operations to be conducted under the direct control and supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The legislation represents a negotiated resolution to the state's migrant relocation initiative that DeSantis had previously overseen. The bill's passage would effectively end the state program's independent operation within the specified timeframe.

DeSantis signed a memorandum that granted Florida Highway Patrol officers immigration enforcement powers previously reserved for federal agents. The memorandum authorized state highway troopers to conduct immigration-related enforcement activities during traffic stops and other interactions. Highway patrol leadership subsequently sought additional clarification and guidance regarding the scope and implementation of these expanded authorities.

DeSantis appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to serve as U.S. Senator to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio in January 2025. Moody had previously served as Florida's Attorney General. The appointment was announced at a press conference in Orlando on January 16, 2025.

DeSantis appointed five trustees to the University of West Florida board on January 6, 2025. The appointees included individuals identified as conservative reformers, with one having published commentary on privatizing public universities. This appointment followed DeSantis's prior actions restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion funding at Florida's public universities in May 2023.