Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday he says will protect religious freedom and support Florida's Jewish community. One bill requires a 'moment of silence' at the start of each year day for students in K-12. Current state law only 'encourages' a moment of 'silent prayer.'
"We think that it's something that's important to be able to provide each student the ability every day to be able to reflect and to pray as they see fit," Governor DeSantis said while visiting the Shul of Bal Harbour synagogue in Surfside in South Florida.
The other bill ensures that volunteer ambulance services, including Hatzalah which is active in Jewish communities, can operate and use lights and sirens when responding to emergencies.
Governor DeSantis also highlighted initiatives in his Florida Leads Budget that support Jewish residents, including $4 million in security funding for Florida's Jewish Day Schools, $1.35 million for the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Pete, $400,000 for the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach and $250,000 for the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator
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