DeSantis Strips Local Governments of DEI and Carbon Tax Authority
Florida governor signs twin legislation barring local governments from funding identity programs or imposing carbon taxes, empowering citizens to sue for violations and triggering immediate audits across the state.
Florida families will no longer fund identity politics or carbon taxes through local government programs. Governor Ron DeSantis signed two bills Wednesday that strip cities and counties of the authority to maintain such initiatives, returning control to the taxpayers who foot the bill.
DeSantis signed SB 1134 and HB 1217 on April 22 at Florida State College of Jacksonville's South Campus. The dual legislation bars local governments from establishing DEI programs or adopting net-zero emissions policies.
The signing marks a decisive enforcement of fiscal responsibility and merit-based governance. Florida voters have watched progressive ideology expand through local bureaucracies for years. These laws draw a hard line.
SB 1134 prohibits all counties and municipalities from creating DEI offices, appointing DEI officers, or running DEI programs. The law bans taxpayer funding for related initiatives and requires grant recipients to certify that public money will not advance DEI objectives.
The enforcement teeth are sharp. Residents can sue their city or county for violations. The governor gains authority to remove officials who commit misfeasance by defying the ban.
"Decisions related to individuals and actions should be based on merit and, if they are not, those making the decisions need to be replaced," said Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, the bill's Senate sponsor.
The Senate passed the measure 25-11. The House approved it 77-37. SB 1134 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
HB 1217 tackles a different burden on Floridians. The law blocks state and local governments from adopting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions policies, carbon taxes, or cap-and-trade programs. It prevents new taxes, fees, or penalties tied to carbon emissions and requires annual signed affidavits from local governments confirming compliance.
The bill does not authorize citizen suits or governor removal. Annual compliance affidavits serve as the enforcement mechanism instead.
"Net-zero mandates and carbon taxes increase costs on families, businesses, and consumers," said Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, the bill's House sponsor. "This bill protects Floridians from higher energy prices, increased transportation costs, and other hidden junk fees caused by emissions mandates."
The House passed HB 1217 by 80-29. The Senate approved it 24-12. The law takes effect July 1.
Local governments began scrambling immediately. Leon County and Tallahassee launched emergency reviews of existing DEI initiatives. The reality of noncompliance hit fast.
Leon County staff warned commissioners as early as April 9 that pursuing a "historical harms" charter amendment risked losing $16.8 million in grants. Officials could face removal under SB 1134.
"We're finding our way back to the everyman principles that make America great," said Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, the House sponsor of SB 1134. "Florida recognizes your work ethic and the content of your character, and that's what matters."
Opponents framed the laws as attacks on home rule. Tallahassee Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who is running for mayor, called them "the most egregious that I've seen since I've been elected."
Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox warned that 150 minority-owned businesses could face threats after securing $35 million in contracts over three years.
DeSantis drew a clear line at the signing ceremony. "Floridians should not be forced to pay for radical climate agendas or identity politics with their hard-earned tax dollars," he said.
He described DEI as an "ideological construct" that discriminates against white males.
The legislation extends Florida's pattern of rolling back progressive policies. The state banned DEI at public universities in 2023. The Stop WOKE Act followed. Now local governments face the same standards.
Florida positions itself as a model for states battling bureaucratic overreach and identity-based discrimination masquerading as diversity.
"This is concerning issues that a lot of people have been concerned about for a long time, kind of growing out of the ideology of the last five or six years that we fought more successfully than anybody," DeSantis said in an April 24 interview.
The immediate scramble by local governments to dismantle programs demonstrates the legislation's tangible impact. Florida has set a precedent for protecting taxpayers from identity politics and green mandates that divide communities while inflating costs.