Janelle Irwin Taylor
For all the hemming and hawing over the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ perceived failures to get shots in arms, Floridians largely support his job performance.
That’s according to a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll out Thursday, which finds 54% of likely Florida voters polled approve of DeSantis’ work.
Further, one of DeSantis’ priorities, which is also top of mind for Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, claims overwhelmingly support.
A full 74% of respondents favor passing liability protections for Florida businesses to shield them from potentially frivolous lawsuits. The measures (SB 72 and HB 7) have bipartisan support. While Republicans are more likely to favor the measure at 85% support, Democrats indicated 63% support. No party-affiliated and third-party voters also favor the measure at 73%.
However, a large majority of voters want liability protections extended to doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, a provision not currently included in the proposed legislation. When asked if they support liability protections that include health care workers, support grew to 71% among Democrats and 75% among NPA and third party voters. While support among Republicans dropped a single point, overall support grew to 78%.
St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes is sponsoring the Senate bill; Rep. Lawrence McClure of Plant City is carrying the House version. Both are Republicans.
The Florida Chamber is on board with both bills but advocates including health care in the prescribed protections. The business advocacy group believes front-line health care workers should be free to continue their lifesaving work without fear of facing frivolous lawsuits.
Both bills shield Florida businesses, nonprofits, schools and religious institutions from frivolous COVID-19 related lawsuits.
The bill’s retroactive protections apply to organizations who make a “good faith effort” to follow federal, state and local health guidelines.
Advocates contend the measure is a necessary component to Florida’s economic recovery.
Both bills have cleared the first of their three committee stops.
Sprowls said protections for health care providers would require a separate bill and discussion.
The Chamber poll also measured support for obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine. Among those polled, 70% said they would take a vaccine when able. Among voters age 60 and older, 82% said they were willing to obtain the vaccine.
The poll was conducted Jan. 14-22 by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 249 Democrats, 256 Republicans and 105 others for a total of 610 respondents statewide.
7 comments
James Robert Miles
January 28, 2021 at 1:37 pm
They don’t call this place Floridah for nothing! DeSatan is popular based on what, the delusions of the writer? It is impossible to get a vaccine in Palm Beach County. The Publix vaccine sight is a real charm. I know people who have spent hours and hours using that sight to no avail. Palm Beach County Health Department can’t even give out the vaccine because all the vaccines go to Publix. Makes perfect sense in a looney bin which under Republican “leadership” is what Floridah has become. We can only hope that now that the brainless whinny bitch has left the White House that maybe the intelligence level of the average Floridah voter will increase. I won’t hold my breath! Yeah Charlotte, the goal moves to get rid of as many GOP (group of pirates) as possible, especially DeSatan!
DisplacedCTYankee
January 28, 2021 at 2:14 pm
Well, of course a majority of people support Covid-19 liability protections. Hell, even I do, and I am a raging socialist. So this is like Gov DeMAGA’s rating is high because he supports apple pie.
OTOH
you say “Floridians largely support his job performance.
“That’s according to a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll out Thursday, which finds 54% of likely Florida voters polled approve of DeSantis’ work.”
Since when does 54 per cent mean “largely?” 54% is a bare majority.
Sonja Fitch
January 29, 2021 at 3:10 am
Redundant! If there are no clear standards, businesses are still going to be open for wanton law suits! If serious set standards! Otherwise this is bs!
just sayin
January 29, 2021 at 8:25 am
How is there a “perceived failure” to get shots in arms? Look at the data! Florida is making great progress. Maybe his approval ratings are high because people are actually looking at the data and not buying the typical media BS. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark
C'mon Bruh
January 29, 2021 at 3:20 pm
“A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network, for example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses.”
Tom Hudson
January 31, 2021 at 7:14 am
What kind of “journalism” is this? The liability protections will protect businesses from ALL lawsuits. Not just “potentially frivolous” ones.
A grant of immunity means that employers can call employees back to work in unsafe conditions. The employees will be excluded from unemployment compensation, and will have to return to work. The losses will still occur. But instead of the business pricing the losses into its product, the losses will be borne by the widows and orphans of the people they kill and maim. The business’ negligence will be subsidized by the survivors. The very concept is outrageous.
You are nothing but a shill for business interests who would like to make money at the cost of the health of their workers.
Adrienne
February 11, 2021 at 9:46 am
I think Ronda DeSantis is the worst governor Florida’s ever had. He doesn’t care about the people. He’s mjust a Donald Trump ask kisser. If he care about the people in Florida he would Support the travel band and He would make it mandatory to wear a mask but no he can’t because he can’t stand up and do the right thing I hope he is a one term governor just like his buddy Donald Trump was. Do the right thing and make it mandatory to wear mask and support the The band on domestic flights for our safety do the right thing So that’s why your all about money because all you do is think about protecting people’s money
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