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Commissioner Nikki Fried Statement on Governor DeSantis’ Signing of House Bill 1

Media Inquiries


Contact the Office of Communications:

Erin Moffet
Strategic Communications Director
(850) 766-7358
Erin.Moffet@FDACS.gov

Caroline Stonecipher
Deputy Communications Director
(850) 661-7153
Caroline.Stonecipher@FDACS.gov

Sabina Covo
Hispanic Media Director
Sabina.Covo@FDACS.gov

Apr 19, 2021

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, the Governor signed House Bill 1, his priority legislation which has faced fierce, heated criticism for harming freedom of speech in Florida. The bill was fast-tracked, bypassing the accountability of numerous Senate committees, and will take effect immediately. Of the signing, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, offered the following statement:

“This isn’t a game. This Governor and his Republican allies love to talk about the Constitution, while shredding it with extreme legislation like HB 1. Silencing the speech of those seeking equality is straight from the Communist regime playbook. The criminal aspects of this bill are already illegal. HB 1 protects no one, makes no one safer, and does nothing to make people’s lives better. It’s simply to appease the Governor’s delusion of widespread lawlessness, and it’s frightening to imagine the lengths to which he’ll go to strip away rights and freedoms for political gain. The message from this Governor and his enablers is loud and clear: if you disagree with him, you will be silenced.”

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