REDINGTON SHORES, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday held a news conference in Redington Shores where he signed two bills to shore up “My Safe Florida” programs meant to dole out hurricane mitigation grants for owners of eligible homes and condos, as well as condo associations, to boost storm resiliency.
DeSantis signed SB 7028 and HB 1029.
Recommended Videos
SB 7028, “My Safe Florida Home Program,” will appropriate $200 million from the state’s General Revenue Fund for the bill’s namesake, a popular state-run program meant to help approved homeowners pay via grants for hurricane-related home improvements.
For more information on the program, including how to get a free home hurricane inspection, go to the My Safe Florida Home Program website.
Regarding HB 1029, “My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program,” DeSantis said he would approve $30 million in the next state budget in order to help coastal condominium associations harden condo infrastructure to protect against wind damage through the creation of a condo-focused pilot similar to the My Safe Florida Home Program.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Speaking in Pinellas County, DeSantis was asked for his reaction to a recent announcement from suspended Tampa Bay-area State Attorney Andrew Warren that he would seek reelection amidst a court battle over his 2022 removal from the post.
DeSantis suspended the twice-elected Democrat prosecutor that August, citing “neglect of duty” after Warren signed a joint statement pledging he and other elected prosecutors would “decline to use (their) offices’ resources to criminalize reproductive health decisions and commit to exercise (their) well-settled discretion and refrain from prosecuting those who seek, provide, or support abortions,” dated June 24, 2022.
To the question of whether he would suspend Warren a second time should he win reelection, DeSantis responded with an idiom.
“If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas. I think it’s all going to work out,” DeSantis said, speaking for another eight minutes on a variety of topics before wrapping the news conference by claiming “lives have been saved” due to his suspension of Warren in Hillsborough and of Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell the following year.
DeSantis spoke Tuesday in Naples, where he touted environmental upgrades, a day after announcing funding for environmental upgrades.
Watch Wednesday’s news conference again in the media player below:
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: