DeSantis, Cabinet take 41 seconds to decide to waive fines from COVID citations
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida clemency board announced Wednesday that it would wipe out fines imposed on people or businesses for violating COVID-19-related ordinances.
Hours later, DeSantis issued an executive order stating that the waiver applied to fines imposed by local governments from March 1 of last year to Wednesday. Anyone disputing the fines need only refer to the executive order as a defense from paying them, it said.
DeSantis’ action Wednesday, which was not on the agenda, appeared to catch people off guard and left local and county officials scratching their heads. It wasn’t clear whether the board had the authority to make such a motion.
His action came immediately after approving major changes to the state’s clemency process. Moving at a breakneck pace throughout the meeting, DeSantis said he was making a motion to wipe out “COVID-19 related fines.”
“As we’ve seen, there have been unprecedented restrictions imposed on people, particularly on the local government level, on both individuals and businesses,” DeSantis said.
“Many of these restrictions, I think, have been ineffective, and I think they’ve unfairly penalized people,” he added.
He then quickly made a motion for the “remission” of those fines, which was immediately approved by the two other Republicans on the clemency board, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat, voted against it.
41 seconds, start to finish
The entire topic lasted 41 seconds, with no discussion or debate, and was yet another example of the abrupt way DeSantis has governed during the pandemic, repeatedly announcing major actions that are only followed hours later with a vague or confusing executive order.
It wasn’t clear Wednesday whether the clemency board had the authority to wipe out municipal fines for people who weren’t seeking clemency, or whether the action was even necessary. In September, DeSantis ordered cities and counties to stop collecting fines and penalties on individuals for violating mask ordinances. Hours later, DeSantis issued an executive order outlining the plan.
DeSantis initially allowed cities and counties to police the pandemic as they saw fit but reversed course last fall. Since then, he’s repeatedly derided local ordinances.
Miami-Dade County and cities issued citations
Police and business inspectors across Miami-Dade County have been issuing citations to businesses over emergency orders since the pandemic began. Mask citations against individuals all but stopped after the DeSantis order, but the governor’s suspension of fines did not apply to violations by businesses.
In Miami-Dade, businesses continued receiving tickets, including $500 fines for violating the county’s midnight curfew.
Over the weekend, the county’s court system said it received 46 citations against businesses tied to violating COVID orders, and one against an individual, according to data from the Clerk of the Court.
Since the pandemic began, about 6,600 citations have been received. Roughly 75% were against businesses. The office did not have data immediately available on how many businesses paid their fines, and how many still owe money for the citations. Miami and Miami Beach imposed fines before DeSantis’ preemptive order but not after.
The cities of Miami and Miami Beach each issued hundreds of citations to people who refused to wear masks.
“This is pretty bizarre honestly,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said. “It almost feels like he wants to be the champion for letting the virus surge through the community. I have no earthly idea why anyone would want to champion that cause.”
The city issued more than $14,000 in mask fines — $50 per violation — before DeSantis barred local municipalities from issuing fines related to COVID restrictions. Gelber said he is not sure if the executive order affects closed cases where the city has already collected fees.
“It’s a minuscule amount, and I’m not even sure closed cases qualify,” Gelber said. “Obviously we weren’t imposing fines to make money. We were trying to create a safer environment and save lives.”
Miami Herald reporters Douglas Hanks, Joey Flechas and Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 7:55 PM.