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DeSantis has approved a new law to help more fathers take an active role

Gov DeSantis and his child are in silhouette. The governor is pointing to something n a golf course.
Florida Governor's Office
DeSantis and one of his children are attending the Honda Classic in Palm Beach. Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill into law that's intended to support fathers taking a more active role.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Monday that aims to get dads to take a more active role. The measure was a priority of House Speaker Chris Sprowls.

During a press conference touting the measure Sprowls said one in four children grow up without a father in their home and he said that can have long lasting consequences.

“From poverty to crime to incarceration, just about every negative outcome we see that faces boys here in Florida and across the country can be linked back to an absent father in a home,” Sprowls said.

The new law allocates nearly $70-million toward efforts to support dads such as programs to help non-custodial fathers become self-sufficient, as well as grants to support mentoring for kids without active father figures.

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Regan McCarthy covers healthcare and government in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

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