MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Monday morning in Miami Beach with Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.
The news conference began just after 11 a.m. at Venu on Washington Avenue.
With a sign saying “Don’t allow Florida to become San Francisco” on the lectern, the topic of the governor’s news conference was homelessness.
The governor announced his support for legislation prohibiting camping on public streets or sidewalks and financial support for sheltering and treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues.
Miami Beach recently passed an ordinance allowing for the arrest of anyone sleeping outside who refuses shelter.
The legislation is making its way through Tallahassee. DeSantis takes issue with a portion of the bill allowing specially-permitted “camps” of sorts.
“I don’t know that they have a product that’s final that is going to pass muster quite yet,” DeSantis said. “I don’t know that that we’ve necessarily embraced those particular provisions. I think we’ve laid down our marker is we’re going to protect Floridians and their quality of life.”
During a hearing on the bill, State Sen. Lauren Book, D-Broward, questioned whether “families with minor children (will) be mixed with individuals at the sanctioned encampments.”
DeSantis, who was joined by Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, also brought up spring break.
The governor previously told police to “do what you need to do” to deal with crime.
“The state will provide resources that the city here needs to ensure that spring break is not turned into some melee,” DeSantis said. “We’re not gonna let the streets be taken over. We’re not gonna let the residents who live here have their quality of life diminished.”
DeSantis brought up previous incidents on South Beach in promising state resources.
Watch news conference:
