Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, has signed a new law to block the use of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in the state. This legislation is aimed at preventing what the governor’s office terms as globalist efforts to adopt a universal digital currency.

Additionally, DeSantis has enacted another law prohibiting credit card companies from tracking firearm purchases and penalizing companies found in violation, as reported by Dialy Wire.

Defending Financial Freedom and Privacy

The Governor asserts that the proposed CBDC poses a threat to financial independence. "Biden’s Central Bank Digital Currency aims to increase government control over people’s finances, and we will not allow it. In Florida, we value personal freedom and won’t allow self-interested elites to chip away at our liberty," DeSantis said in a press release.

The law now excludes CBDC from the money definition under Florida's Uniform Commercial Code. This move prevents the federal government from using CBDCs in Florida and also bars foreign-issued CBDCs.

DeSantis has maintained a steady onslaught against CBDCs, characterizing them last week as components of "woke politics" that he is committed to opposing, Decrypt reported.

DeSantis urged the Florida-led 20-state coalition against Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria to follow suit by outlawing CBDC in their jurisdictions.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis echoed DeSantis' warnings against a federally-controlled CBDC, viewing it as a potential tool for federal government surveillance and control.

Securing Gun Owners' Rights

Another law, signed by DeSantis, prohibits credit card companies from using firearm-specific Merchant Category Codes to track gun purchases. Companies found using these codes will face penalties, as it is viewed as an infringement of Florida's consumer protections against gun owner registries.

DeSantis emphasized that neither the government nor large credit card companies should have the power to restrict access to an individual's hard-earned money based on their political beliefs.

This is part of a series of legislative victories for DeSantis, who has been proactive in signing laws he championed during Florida's recent legislative session.

Other Notable Legislation

The week saw DeSantis sign other major legislation, including laws protecting Floridians from medical mandates, empowering doctors, and prohibiting dangerous gain-of-function research.

Measures have also been taken to limit the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ability to purchase land in Florida, restrict the CCP’s data collection of U.S. citizens, and exclude CCP influence from the educational system.

The governor enacted another law that The New York Times described as the “toughest crackdown” on illegal immigration by any state in the nation.

This legislation introduces a series of requirements and penalties, including:

• Mandating employers to use E-Verify for employment eligibility checks, with daily fines of $1,000 for non-compliance.
• Suspending licenses of employers knowingly hiring illegal aliens and criminalizing the use of fake IDs for employment.
• Increasing penalties for human smuggling, including severe punishments for transporting five or more illegal aliens or a single illegal alien minor.
• Allocating $12 million to continue the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program for relocating illegal immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions.
• Prohibiting local governments and NGOs from issuing identification documents to illegal aliens and invalidating all out-of-state driver licenses exclusively issued to illegal aliens.
• Requiring hospitals to gather and report healthcare costs associated with illegal aliens.

Florida's Response to Immigration Crisis

DeSantis voiced concern about the effects of what he labeled the “Biden Border Crisis” on the nation, citing risks to American citizens. “In Florida, we will not stand idly by while the federal government abandons its lawful duties to protect our country,” he stated.

He added, "The legislation I signed today gives Florida the most ambitious anti-illegal immigration laws in the country, fighting back against reckless federal government policies and ensuring the Florida taxpayers are not footing the bill for illegal immigration."