DeSantis vetoes bills aimed at helping Pulse survivors, homeless LGBTQ youth

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On day two of National Pride Month, Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed two bills aimed at helping Pulse survivors get mental health counseling and house homeless LGBTQ youth.

It’s not sitting well with some advocates in Central Florida, who said they’re going keep pushing to get the funding they need for the community.

The items on the governor’s veto list includes $150,000 for the Orlando United Assistance Center, a program under The Center on Mills that directly serves those affected by the Pulse tragedy.

READ: Remembering Pulse: Officials release schedule of events to honor victims

The second was $750,000 to help homeless LGBTQ youth.

Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf said he and his fellow Pulse survivors feel betrayed by DeSantis, and he’s not taking any of this in stride.

“There is accountability coming for every single lawmaker who enabled this governor to use the LGBTQ community as a political football,” he said.

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Wolf is promising action.

“We cannot export Florida’s extremism to the rest of the country,” he said. “And that means we’re going to have to work really hard in 2022, to remove Ron DeSantis from the governor’s mansion.”

READ: DeSantis: Florida teachers, principals to receive $1K bonuses

The Center said they’ll get by without the $150,000, but they’re not giving up either.

READ: Orlando Pride set to return for in-person celebration this fall

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