Amid Record Heat, Florida Meteorologist Rips GOP 'Don't Say Climate Change' Law

Amid what's shaping up to be the hottest May on record in Miami, one local South Florida TV meteorologist recently slammed new Republican legislation prohibiting the mention of climate change in state law and implored Floridians to vote for candidates who "believe in climate change" and solutions to the planetary emergency.

The new law, signed last week by Republican Gov. DeSantis, also deprioritizes climate considerations in policy decisions, promotes fossil fuel infrastructure development, and bans the installation of wind turbines in state waters. While signing the bill, the failed 2024 GOP presidential contender said Florida was "restoring sanity in our approach to energy and rejecting the agenda of the radical green zealots."

As South Floridians suffered record-breaking temperatures and a heat index that made it feel as hot as 110°F on Saturday, WTVJ meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin stood before a graphic showing that April was the 11th straight hottest month on record globally and said that Florida's government is "starting to roll back really important climate change legislation and really important climate change language."

This, despite the "record heat, record flooding, record rain, record insurance rates, and the corals are dying all around the state" in recent years, MacLaughlin continued. "The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority it once was."

While not mentioning DeSantis by name, MacLaughlin said: "Please keep in mind the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hand: the right to vote... We implore you to please do your research and know that there are candidates that believe in climate change and that there are solutions, and there are candidates that don't."

The so-called "Don't Say Climate Change" law signed by DeSantis is but the latest salvo in the right-wing governor's "war on woke" that includes rolling back LGBTQ+, student, migrant, reproductive, protest, First Amendment, and other rights and protections.

As the planetary emergency fuels hotter, more dangerous weather in Florida, DeSantis has also attacked the state's workers by signing a law prohibiting local governments from requiring employers to provide water breaks and other cooling measures.

"Workers in Florida will die in the Florida heat as a result of Gov. DeSantis' signing this bill," Public Citizen worker health and safety advocate Juley Fulcher said after the governor signed the law last month. "Denying any worker access to water or shade in the heat of summer is inhumane and cruel, yet Florida just allowed employers to do exactly that."