TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo visited Tampa on Wednesday to announce $60 million for cancer research and prevention. The state is taking applications to award those funds to organizations.

During the stop, both leaders took questions.

The DeSantis administration continues to push to lift requirements on students getting their scheduled shots.

“We have all these countries around the world: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, (and) the United Kingdom, they don’t mandate,” Ladapo said.

In Florida, requirements are still in place, but the surgeon general is working on lifting a handful. The Associated Press obtained an email form the Florida Department of Health that showed the state is ending requirements for several vaccines, like chickenpox and Hepatis B.

Most mandates must be lifted with the help of the legislature, like the ones for measles and polio. However, Ladapo admitted he has, so far, not partnered with a lawmaker from any chamber to sponsor legislation.

“I don’t know where lawmakers are. We are working on some things in the department of health in terms of bill language,” Ladapo said.

State Rep. Michael Owen, a Republican in Apollo Beach, confirmed he’s working on some language. It’s still unclear if he will file a bill. State Rep. Susan Valdes, a Republican in Tampa, is not working on vaccine related legislation. Those two lawmakers were present for the initial announcement earlier this month.

Florida Democrats and most health organizations are against Ladapo’s plan over concerns about some diseases resurging. Democrats also said there’s also an option for parents to opt out. The governor confirms he has seen an increase in parents using that option.

“What we’ve seen since COVID, I think you’ve seen more and more parents opt for that in much larger numbers,” DeSantis said.

Ladapo also doesn’t see insurance coverage being an issue, if the state ends all vaccine mandates.