Gov. Ron DeSantis turned a bill-signing ceremony for new laws tackling fentanyl deaths into an occasion for complaints about transgender athletes on Monday.
Just moments after the governor said that he would sign two bills, one promoting opioid antagonists to prevent deaths from overdose and another boosting penalties for recklessly exposing first responders to fentanyl, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo opened fire on athletic competitions that pit transgender women and girls against those who are biologically female.
Ladapo described the anti-fentanyl effort as a “common-sense and grounded idea” as compared to “so many things happening at leadership levels, at the federal level, whether it’s boys playing on girls’ teams and winning titles or other just things that don’t make sense.”
“Who thought it would be controversial to allow girls to compete with other girls and not have to compete with boys,” he continued.
DeSantis expanded on the concept in response to a reporter’s question, noting that he signed legislation three years ago forbidding transgender females from competing with biological females in high school or college.
As in the past, he argued Monday that it’s unfair to allow athletes with male biological characteristics to compete against women and girls.
“You do everything right. You work your tail off. You get into position and then all of a sudden you can have just the championship taken away from you. And why is it being taken away from these women and these girls who are competing in these competitions? It’s doing it because the people, the powers that be in these institutions like the NCAA, some of the high schools — not in Florida but some of these high schools — they just don’t have the courage to put their foot down and say no,” DeSantis said.
Lacking in courage
“They don’t have the courage to do what’s right because they’re worried about being politically incorrect. Yes, they will get attacked by different groups, of course, probably a lot of media organizations. But you know, that is not what leadership is all about. Leadership is about doing what’s right,” the governor said.
It was not clear what prompted Ladapo — the state’s chief public health officer, but one who has taken controversial positions on controlling COVID and measles, for example — to bring up transgender athletes. The Florida Department of Health has not yet responded to a question about that.
Transgender trans activist Lacey Love, contacted by the Phoenix, said she hadn’t heard about what Ladapo had said “and I’m not sure what, other than his normal bigotry, would have prompted the comment.”
Ladapo is a named plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging a state law, now partially enjoined, denying gender-affirming care to adults and minors in Florida.
NCAA policy handles trans competitions sport by sport and requires testing to ensure minimal testosterone levels for transgender women and girls.
Two bills
Regarding fentanyl, DeSantis signed two bills:
- SB 718, which holds that “[a] person 18 years of age or older who, in the course of unlawfully possessing dangerous fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, recklessly exposes a first responder to dangerous fentanyl or fentanyl analogs and an overdose or serious bodily injury of the first responder results, commits a felony of the second degree,” punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Some first responders have reported being affected by exposure to fentanyl, but medical experts note that fentanyl is difficult to ingest merely by exposure and that the symptoms listed in these cases more closely resemble panic attacks, a reported by National Public Radio.
DeSantis pointed to the case of a 19-year-old child who died of fentanyl toxicity after allegedly coming into contact with the drug at a Florida short-term rental unit in 2021; her family filed a lawsuit against Airbnb following the incident.
- And SB 66, “Victoria’s Law,” designating an annual “Revive Awareness Day” each June 6 intended to promote administration of opioid antagonists like Narcan that can counteract the effects of these drugs and save lives.
That law is named after Victoria Siegel, who died of an overdose in 2015. She was the daughter of David Siegel, founder of the Westgate Resorts timeshare company, and his wife, Jackie, who were featured in “The Queen of Versailles,” a 2012 documentary about the family’s attempt to build a huge house in Florida, according to a CNN report. Jackie Siegel attended the news conference.
Overwhelming support
Both laws passed the Legislature overwhelmingly — SB 66 by a 39-0 vote in the Senate and SB 718 by 110-1 in the House, with nine members not voting. The only “no” vote was from Traci Koster, a Republican representing part of Hillsborough County. The Senate vote on the first-responder-exposure bill was 39-0 and the House vote was 100-12.
DeSantis remarked that traffickers sometimes lace other drugs with the vastly more potent fentanyl and catch users unawares.
“They’re not good to do,’ he said of these drugs, “but if you do some type of drug and it is laced with fentanyl the chance of you dying goes up tremendously. And there’s a lot of these opioid deaths that [are] really poisoning people with fentanyl, because maybe someone buys a pill thinking its something else, it’s laced with fentanyl, and then all of a sudden that one pill can be enough to kill somebody. And that happens, unfortunately, a lot,” DeSantis said.
Since taking office in 2019, DeSantis has led the creation of a statewide task force on opioid abuse led by Attorney General Ashley Moody. The effort has produced mobile response teams to treat overdoses plus the CORE network — for Coordinated Opioid Recovery Network.
Expanded network
That network began in 2022 in 12 counties and lets responders work together on treatment plans for addicts. Those counties were Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Gulf, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, and Volusia.
DeSantis announced plans to expand the network to another 17 counties: Bay, Broward, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, and St. Lucie.
Some 48.9% of the patients in the program have received medication intended to help them recover, compared to a national average of 18.8%, according to the governor’s office. In addition,18,000 emergency calls have resulted administration of naloxone.
The data show a 9% decrease in opioid deaths between September 2022 to September 2023 compared to the same period one year earlier, or 557 fewer deaths, the governor’s office said.
Additionally, the state has boosted penalties for fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking.
–Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix
Brian says
How is it “bigotry” if a female athlete, or her parents, are opposed to boys or men competing against girls or women? And was it bigotry when the fifteen-year-old girl at Planet Fitness complained about the guy swinging freely in the ladies’ locker room?
endangered species says
according to the govt fentanyl is safer than marijuana. tell me more about how successful the war on drugs has been especially for minorities. Could that be why we have the largest prison population on planet earth? People who support racist ron and his agenda dont need facts they just want more hate and division cause that equals votes for the maggots. I say let teenagers play sports they love: beyond high school some of the rules make sense but for kids who cares.
James says
“… leadership is about doing right. …”
No, leadership is gathering all available factual information and viewpoints available at the time a decision is to be made, weighing these against the needs and desires of those under your leadership, and then making a decision… after much consideration of all these things kept in mind.
The resulting decision is not necessarily “right,” but at least hopefully the best one that can be made at the time.
It is “hard for the leader” to make such decisions since the leader (in a democratic system anyway) is elected, and as such, exists as a proxy for the best intentions and judgements that “the lead” entrust to the leader… which btw, never is of one mind on any given issue. Hence, the old saying that goes something like, “you can’t please all the people all the time, just some, some of the time.” And, I might add, is really never fully justified in their discontent with the leader… except perhaps for the expectation of the leader, being the leader, being in a better position to make a better, more informed decision on there behalf.
Trump comes to mind again.
What’s so jarring to many is perhaps that one would expect a man of experience, wealth, and taste, as he has claimed(s) to be (and who’s to say he isn’t), would know better, and act better than he apparently does. He should “know how the world works” is the assumption made perhaps by many of his supporters. So if he does act the way he does, what conclusions should be made by those who entrusted him as their proxy? That believe a certain world view which is as limited as anyone else’s?
He has indeed turned out a disappointment in this regard for me… but then, I never had assumed this of him anyway… just had hope that he would rise to the occasion of what a president should be and what most Americans expect in the “ideal.”
Just say’n.
John says
Frick and Frack, Dr. Quack Quack and Death Santis rides again.
Mr. Bill says
We have such a commonsense governor. I raised two daughters that both went to college and both graduated from Palm Coast High. Both of my girls played sports all thru high school and never had to compete against a biological male. Biological males are bigger, faster, rougher, taller, more muscular, longer reach….I mean do I really have to tell you that it isn’t …fair?! Common sense trumps woke every day.
Jim says
Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and DeSantis are right on brand! I can see how bashing transgender athletes while signing a drug bill would be totally part of their act!
Just for fun, I Googled “number of transgender people in the US” and came up with 1.6 million. I Googled “number of people living in US” and got 333 million. Statistically, that means that .480% of the US population is trans! And that’s adults and children so the number of trans athletes running around in this country must be HUGE!
Of all the problems facing this state and nation, it just amazes me that the Republicans always go back to the culture issues. Taxes and insurance way to high in this state? Go talk about trans people. Got to stop those trans people from destroying America as we know it! But, can the government help us with the tax rate and high auto and home insurance? Hey, we’re talking about the trans tsunami facing us! Don’t change the subject! We’re working on making Florida great! (You may not be able to afford to live here but thank God you don’t have to worry about the trans invasion – it won’t happen here!)
I wish people would look at the big picture and see how we’re being duped with smoke and mirrors to ignore the problems that plague this state and nation. I remember a saying from my working time… “shoot the rowboats and let the battleships go by….”.
Trans people are not destroying life as we know it yet that is where the governor is focused. Remember that when you pay your home insurance (if you can get it) and car insurance (if you can afford it). You’re on your own there but the governor will keep you safe from the trans people! I hope that makes you sleep better at night…..
Pogo says
@Beavis ‘n Butthead
But hey, at least they’re not Genocide Joe.
YankeeExPat says
Absolutely !
The Quack and the Quacker that appointed him.
God Help Us !
Deborah Coffey says
Sorry, I’m just speechless at the amount of hate and bigotry pouring out of these two losers. The damage done to Florida by them, the deaths, the suicides they encourage, the cost of insurance, the denial of climate change and vaccines, the loss of immigrant workers, the killing of pregnant women…on and on and on…means that the state will not recover for a generation.
Skibum says
Ladapo is nothing but a quack! Anyone who relies on medical advice of DeathSantis’ so-called state medical “expert” might as well be taking financial advice from Bozo the clown.
charlie says
for you perverts to hate this law you are nothing more
than reprobates . we have a governor that stands for decensy
america today has none. romans1
endangered species says
Trans people are not a problem. Just a target of racist morons like racist ron. Oh the sanctity of high school sport records, who cares. More hate and divisiveness will get us nowhere. I amazed how ignorant people are and support these republicons blindly. If its good for the average american you can be assured republicons will do everything to sabotage and stop that as only profits for the select few matter to them.
Laurel says
Yeah, Charlie, and now we can get 32 pounds of wine in one container! How long we have waited for such sanity. If only he could be President. We could maybe get wine in kegs! Think how important that would be to help make America great again.