Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued 20 executive orders from April 17-23. As of April 23, DeSantis has issued 85 executive orders in 2023 — 15 fewer than he did at this point a year ago. Three of the orders are below:
- Executive Order Number 23-81, where the governor extended the assignment of Katherine Fernandez Rundle as state attorney in the case involving Jorge Gonzalez in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
- Executive Order Number 23-76, where the governor assigned R.J. Larizza as state attorney for the case involving Jared Lewin in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida.
- Executive Order Number 23-75, where the governor assigned Monique Worrell as state attorney for the case involving Paul David Brill in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. During the week of April 17-23, the nation’s governors issued 43 executive orders. DeSantis (R) issued the most with 20. Governors in 40 states issued the fewest orders with zero. Democratic governors issued 5 of the 43 orders, while Republican governors issued 38.
DeSantis has served as governor since Jan. 8, 2019. He issued 272 executive orders in 2022 and 246 in 2021. Nationally, governors issued at least 1,558 executive orders in 2022. Governors have issued 515 executive orders in 2023. Republican governors issued 346, while Democratic governors issued 169. Florida is a Republican trifecta, meaning Republicans control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.
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