WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, applauds Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing HB 3, legislation the governor made a priority earlier this year. HB 3 will prevent “woke” corporations with discriminatory policies against firearm industry members and other businesses from collecting taxpayer dollars through state contracts and pensions. Simply put, the Sunshine State will choose to do business with those companies that do not discriminate based on an industry they may not like or with which they disagree politically.
“This is a promise kept by Governor DeSantis. He said he would ensure that ‘woke’ corporations would not benefit from Florida’s tax dollars while those same corporations actively discriminate against lawful but disfavored businesses. Today, Governor DeSantis delivered on that promise,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for NSSF. “The firearm industry is deeply grateful to the legislators who worked diligently to protect industries that are wrongfully denied essential financial services simply because ‘woke’ Wall Street banks politically disagree with them. Wall Street can choose to hold on to those ‘woke’ discriminatory policies but Governor DeSantis has made it clear that Florida will choose to do business with those that share Floridians’ values.”
The legislation builds on a ban Gov. DeSantis signed last year prohibiting “woke” Environmental, Social and Governance investment strategies with state and municipal pension funds.
Gov. DeSantis explained at the signing ceremony that ESG policies that discriminate against politically-disfavored industries are antithetical to free market enterprise and have no place in Florida.
“Last year we said we were going to take action against something called ESG. It stands for something called environmental and social governance. But what it really is is an attempt by elites to impose ideology through business institutions, financial institutions, and our economy writ large,” Gov. DeSantis said, according to Florida Politics. “ESG is basically just window dressing for doing what these people want to do. … It’s really an elite driven phenomenon. They’re trying to change society. They’re trying to change policy.”
