On this Monday, April 19, episode of Sundial:
'Anti-Riot' Bill Becomes Law
Protesting in Florida will soon be radically different now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed HB1 into law this morning.
Under the law, anyone at a protest with more than three people where violence is committed, property is damaged or roadways are illegally blocked can be arrested, without the ability to pay bail.
You turn to WLRN for reporting you can trust and stories that move our South Florida community forward. Your support makes it possible. Please donatenow. Thank you.
“Three or more people automatically is considered that if there's any trouble, then you might end up not only in jail but without the ability to get out, without the ability to post bond. ... We're going to end up with a lot of young kids in jail just for exercising their right to free speech, which is in our Constitution. I believe this whole bill is unconstitutional,” said Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo, who represents Miami-Dade County.
Another controversial component of the bill provides civil immunity to individuals in vehicles who defend themselves by driving into protesters.
“At any point, anyone can run over these people that maybe even were there peacefully, maybe they were blocking the road. … All they have to say is it’s sorta like a ‘Stand Your Ground’ situation but for your car,” said Taddeo.
You can read more about HB1 here.
Is DeSantis The GOP's Successor?
With Donald Trump no longer president, DeSantis has made a name for himself and become a key player within the GOP.
Recent polls show Republicans like him and that he has a chance — almost as much as Trump — for a run at the White House.
“I think it's the ability to sort of position himself as an alternative to Democrats. When you have Democrats in the majority in Congress, it's difficult for the Republican senators to be able to do much. The president is a Democrat and Congress is held by Democrats. So, you have governors from the Republican Party who are able to score political points as opposition leaders of the Republican Party,” said New York Times reporter Patricia Mazzei.
You can read her profile on DeSantis here.
Changing How We Measure COVID
More than eight million people in Florida have been vaccinated against COVID-19, decreasing the number of people at risk for developing severe disease from the virus.
But the rise in inoculations has also skewed meaningful and trusted metrics that experts, politicians and the public have relied on for the past year.
“Leading indicators are mostly driven by testing. So cases and test positivity, the percentage of tests coming back positive. Lagging indicators are more what happens with those infections like hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths,” said Miami Herald health-care reporter Ben Conarck.
Hospitalizations is the metric that hasn’t changed. It’s become the best indicator of the spread and severity of COVID-19 — also, how well vaccines are working.
Conarck added that it’s still worth tracking positive tests. For example, a small sample size, like a community hospital. Statewide, those numbers might not be as insightful as more people get vaccinated.
