Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will expand and make permanent the Florida State Guard, which DeSantis revived last year.
DeSantis’ office said the Florida State Guard bill (HB 1285) was among eight military-related measures that he signed Friday. Lawmakers passed the bills during the legislative session that ended May 5.
The Florida State Guard was initially set up during World War II to replace Florida National Guard members who were deployed abroad. It went inactive in 1947.
But DeSantis restored it last year, at least in part as a way to help the Florida National Guard during emergencies.