Florida sues Biden administration over threat of withholding funds after new union law
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Attorney General Ashley Moody sued the Biden administration for allegedly withholding $800 million in federal funding from the state.
The filing came after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed S.B. 256 into law. The law implemented several union-related regulations, including removing the ability for public sector unions to directly take out dues from employee paychecks.
Some exceptions to this law included law enforcement.
According to the attorney general’s office, the Biden administration issued an ultimatum, specifically in regards to transportation workers. The federal government demanded that the employees in the sector were exempt from the legislation.
The Florida Public Transportation Association informed the office that refusal to obey the ultimatum could result in more than $800 million withheld from the state.
“Florida passed laws to protect workers from being strong-armed by unions,” Moody said. “Biden, intent on driving our country into the ground, continues to try to force states to implement his bad policies.”
“As long as I am Florida’s Attorney General, Washington will never decide how we run our state,” she added. “We’re pushing back against this overreach to protect our state’s autonomy and Florida workers.”
The complaint for preliminary and permanent injunctive relief that was filed by Moody focuses on the federal government’s unconstitutional interpretation of the Federal Transit Act.
“These reforms are designed to ensure that public employees in Florida make a conscious and deliberate decision regarding their constitutional right to participate or not participate in a union,” the complaint read.
“To be clear, Florida has no intention of abolishing the collective bargaining rights of transportation workers,” it continues. “But the Biden Administration reads the phrase ‘continuation of collective bargaining rights’ in § 5333(b) to mean that Florida cannot enact reasonable regulations governing the collective bargaining process.”
“Such as those the Legislature enacted earlier this year in Senate Bill 256 (SB 256). The Department of Labor’s application of § 5333(b) to the State of Florida is flagrantly unconstitutional.”
Editor’s Note: Florida’s Voice did not receive a reply after reaching out to the Florida Public Transportation Association for comments and confirmation to their claims.
