WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Eight Florida cities have joined Gainesville’s lawsuit challenging HB 1, the controversial law Gov. Ron DeSantis called the “strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement piece of legislation in the country.”
Lauderhill, Lake Worth Beach, Miramar, North Bay Village, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Tallahassee and Wilton Manors all signed on to the legal challenge.
The suit aims to invalidate section one of the law, which allows the governor and his cabinet to overrule local reductions to law enforcement budgets.
The cities are suing DeSantis and his cabinet: State Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried.
Gainesville initiated the suit three months ago. The city commission voted against former city attorney Nicolle Shalley’s advice to wait for firmer grounds, instead following the guidance of outside attorneys who took up the case pro bono. Shalley has since left her position with the city to become the Levy County Attorney.
