Florida Turns up the Heat on Workers

For Florida Republicans, Climate change creates new opportunities for cruelty.

Communities across Florida soon may not be able to create employment regulations. The Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would ban cities and counties from having heat protections in place for workers. Last summer many parts of the state saw temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees.

“We have very different climates in this state,” Sen. Tina Polsky, (D) Boca Raton, said.

The Senate approved a bill down party lines Tuesday to ban local governments from having ordinances that require shade and water breaks throughout the day.

“I don’t think we need to preempt, yet again, the local governments who are just trying to protect their workers as our climate gets hotter and hotter every year,” Sen. Polsky said.

Republicans who supported the bill say this is about getting rid of a patchwork of rules.

“We need uniform regulations. The fact the state can look to OSHA on these heat-related issues is important and will keep the bad actors at bay,” Sen. Jay Trumbull, (R) Panama City, said.

Under the bill, businesses would be subject to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines since the state doesn’t have its own. Sen. Trumbull said getting rid of local heat protections doesn’t mean employers won’t take care of their workers.

“Every business owner cares about their employees. We’re in a market where if you don’t like where you work, there’s somebody willing to hire you the same day or the next day,” Sen. Trumbull said.
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and of course, there are always prisons, and workhouses, said Rep. Eb Scrooge, R- Possum Bluff.

28-11: The Florida state Senate passes a bill to remove local governments' authority to adopt heat standards, such as guaranteed shade and rest breaks, for workers.

The bill would make all local heat protections “void and prohibited.” pic.twitter.com/BdSSRAcS2a
— The Recount (@therecount) March 5, 2024