FloridaCommerce, Attorney General Moody and The Florida Department of Education Issue a Joint Comment Rejecting Discriminatory U.S Department of Labor Proposed Rule

March 18, 2024

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FloridaCommerce, Attorney General Moody and The Florida Department of Education Issue a Joint Comment Rejecting Discriminatory U.S. Department of Labor Proposed Rule

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Attorney General Ashley Moody, FloridaCommerce and the Florida Department of Education issued a joint comment to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to abandon its misguided, ill-advised and completely unnecessary revisions to regulations governing registered apprenticeship programs as proposed in ETA–2023– 0004/RIN 1205–AC13.

“Once again, the Biden administration is seeking to overstep state sovereignty and push its radical political agenda on our state,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “Florida refuses to let this happen on our watch—with Governor DeSantis, we are fighting back against Biden pushing his ideology to damage our state’s business opportunities.”

“The Biden administration’s bureaucratic overreach that injects unnecessary DEIA ideologies into our workforce will significantly impede opportunities for the individuals it should intend to advance and stifle economic growth in the process,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida refuses to restrict businesses with woke ideologies but instead lets businesses do business, which is why Florida continues to see record growth.”

“Time and time again, we have seen the Biden administration overstep its authority to impose a radical political agenda on our state,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Now, they are trying to hijack our apprenticeship programs by infusing them with DEI, which will deprive students of opportunities and damage businesses. The Biden administration needs to stop using our workforce as political pawns and quash this disastrous rule.”

Florida vigorously opposes the Biden Administration’s discriminatory proposed rule and raises the following concerns:

• Bureaucratic overreach;
• Lack of legal authority;
• Redefining and repurposing “equal opportunity” to fit the DOL’s current political agenda;
• Imposing requirements that adversely impact apprenticeship initiatives, particularly in its approach to promoting divisive DEIA policies;
• Violations of the Equal Protection Clause and the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

To read the full comment, click here. (PDF)

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