Governor DeSantis announces lawsuit against Biden administration over vaccine mandate

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the filing of a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s employer vaccine mandate.

At the heart of the lawsuit is Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements that call for companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly.

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Read: DeSantis announces special session to protect those whose jobs are affected by vaccine mandate

OSHA goes on to say failure to comply could result in penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation.

Federal officials also left open the possibility of expanding the mandate to smaller employers.

Gov. DeSantis was swift in his condemnation of the requirement, calling it a stark example of government overreach.

Read: Parents may have to wait another month for COVID-19 vaccines for kids

“The State of Florida will immediately challenge the OSHA rule in court because it’s inconsistent with the Constitution and not legally authorized through Congressional statutes,” DeSantis said.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said the president does not have the power to force health policy through a workplace safety department.

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“That’s not what Congress intended when they created OSHA and it’s not a lawful use of the U.S. Department of Labor,” Moody said.

The White House has not responded to the lawsuit.

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