Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., is applauding the state’s decision to officially drop all vaccine mandates, telling Newsmax on Thursday that it’s another strong affirmation of Florida’s commitment to protecting individual rights while still promoting public health.
Moody joined “National Report” one day after Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced plans to eliminate all statewide vaccine mandates, including those for children attending public schools.
Moody said the decision mirrored Florida’s stance during the COVID-19 pandemic, which set it apart from the rest of the country by refusing to give in to sweeping federal dictates. Instead, she emphasized, state leaders applied “reasoned analysis” while recognizing the limits of government authority.
“They don’t call us the free state of Florida for nothing,” Moody said. “One of the things I think stood out about our state during the last years, especially when we were dealing with [COVID-19], was that we pushed back and made sure that we were giving reasoned analysis throughout that time period and making sure that people knew we as state leaders understood our limits, that we respected individuals’ rights.”
Ladapo framed the decision as a matter of parental choice and bodily autonomy. Moody credited this approach with making Florida one of the most attractive destinations in the country.
“Because of that, we have now succeeded in Florida; people are edging everybody out of the way to get into Florida because we are indeed and hold true to the premise that we are a free state and a free people,” she said.
The former state attorney general stressed that Florida has long provided vaccine exemptions and will continue to prioritize parental choice and individual decision-making in matters of health.
“Florida has historically had exemptions for vaccines, as do many states,” Moody explained. “And I think you’re seeing them come back to looking at those regulations again, making sure that the premise is — it should be — parental choice, parental rights. And we’re going to make sure our regulations reflect that, while still maintaining that we have to have a healthy society, and we need to be informing them of how to do that.”
Moody concluded by underlining what she sees as the core responsibility of government: protecting freedoms first, while guiding citizens on how best to safeguard their health.
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