Florida lawmakers consider bills making Ron DeSantis’ travel records secret

Companion bills making their way through the Florida Legislature would make Gov. Ron DeSantis’ official travel records secret.

From Iowa to Michigan, from Japan to South Korea, DeSantis has been ramping up his travels ahead of an expected White House bid. Knowing where our elected officials are going, and who they are speaking to is currently protected by law.

Aubrey Jewett, a professor in the political science department at the University of Central Florida explains SB 1616 and HB 1495.

“So, what that will mean is that we won’t know where the governor is going, and how he’s going and who’s paying for it,” Jewett said. “And we won’t even know after it happens because this bill both covers travel that’s going to happen, that is currently happening, and doesn’t even allow you to find out about travel that’s happened in the past.”

Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature argues it’s pushing the bill for the sake of the governor’s security.

“That’s the biggest rationale that Republicans have put forward for hiding the governor’s travel records,” Jewett said. “For security and to make sure the governor is safe.”

Democrats don’t buy it. The Florida Center for Government Accountability posted a statement on Twitter: “If DeSantis wanted to fly the head of the Proud Boys to DC on the state plane & give him state protection, we won’t know. That may seem extreme, but that’s how expansive this bill is.”

Florida has some of the nation’s strongest public records laws, giving citizens access to documents that hold elected officials accountable. But the state constitution allows the legislature to make exemptions to our public records laws, and if this measure passes, Jewett said DeSantis will benefit.

“We have to wait and see if this bill passes, but it looks like it’s going to pass and go to the governor’s desk, and presumably the governor will sign it because it will protect him not only in the security sense, but it’ll protect him in a political sense from unwanted questions and investigations about how he’s traveling and who he’s traveling with, and who’s paying for it,” Jewett said.

The Florida Senate has passed its version of the bill and sent it to the House. DeSantis’ office did not respond to WINK’s request for comment on the bill.