User:Immi Thrax/Sandbox

"We call it the "don't say gay" bill because it prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. But members, this bill goes way beyond the text on the page. It sends a terrible message to our youth that there is something so wrong, so inappropriate, so dangerous about this topic that we have to censor it from classroom instruction."

Prior legislation
During Pride month in 2021, Governor Ron SeSantis signed the transphobic "Fairness in Women's Sports Act" on June 1 to ban transgender girls from playing sports in alignment with their gender identity. On June 2, he vetoed $900,000 from the 2021 state budget that would have supported LGBTQ+ people. Prior to his veto, $150,000 would have been allocated to the LGBT+ Center Orlando's Orlando United Assistance Center to provide counseling and case management services for survivors and immediate family members of the 49 victims murdered in the Pulse tragedy.

Bill history
In the Florida Senate, SB 1834 was filed on January 7 and is sponsored by Senator Dennis Baxley, (R-Sumter and parts of Lake and Marion, district 12). The bill was initially referred to the committees for Education, Appropriations, and Rules. During the hearing in the Senate Education Committee hearing on February 8, Baxley argued that teachers are engaging in "social engineering" and attempting to "move agendas" rather than teaching basic skills. According to him, "when you start opening sexual type discussions with children, you're entering a very dangerous zone", and "we've got to draw a line of authority. Parents do not want to be left out. They want to be in charge of their own and take responsibility for their students, and that is exactly the difference in initiating some kind of teaching method versus sticking to the mission." One example given of what would violate the Senate bill was a math problem that included "two moms" or "two dads"; Baxley called that example "exactly where the problem is". The bill was found favorable by the committee 6:3 on party lines.

In the Florida House of Representatives, HB 1557 was filled on January 11, 2022, and is sponsored by Representative Joe Harding (R-Levy and part of Marion, district 22). It has the following co-sponsors: David Borrero (R-parts of Broward, Collier, and Miami-Dade, district 105), Chris Latvala (R-part of Pinellas, district 67), Randall Scott "Randy" Maggard (R-part of Pasco, district 38), and John Synder (R-parts of Martin and Palm Beach, district 82).

According to Harding, his bill does not target any specific gender or sexual orientation. He submitted, then withdrew from consideration, an amendment that would have required schools to inform parents within six weeks if a child has come out to school personnel, regardless of any concerns about abuse, abandonment, or neglect. He denied that his amendment would have required outing students to their parents.

On February 24, the Florida House of Representatives passed the bill 69-47 on its third reading, with votes largely falling on party lines. However, one Democratic representative (James Bush III, D-Miami-Dade, district 109) supported, and seven Republicans opposed:
 * Vance Aloupis, Jr. (R-part of Miami-Dade, district 115)
 * Demi Busatta Cabrera (R-part of Miami-Dade, district 114)
 * Chip LaMarca (R-part of Broward, district 93)
 * Amber Mariano (R-part of Pasco, district 36)
 * James Vernon "Jim" Mooney, Jr. (R-Monroe and part of Miami-Dade, district 120)
 * Rene "Coach P" Plasencia (R-parts of Orange and Brevard, district 50)
 * William Cloud "Will" Robinson, Jr. (R-parts of Manatee and Sarasota, district 71)

The bill was then sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Support
At committee hearings, individuals representing themselves or representing organizations have waived in support or provided public testimony as proponents. As of February 26, 2022, the supporters have been:
 * Christian Family Coalition (CFC) or Family Christian Coalition (FCC)
 * Florida Citizen Alliance
 * Florida Ethics and Religion Liberty Commission
 * Florida Family Action
 * Florida Family Policy Council
 * Florida Smart Justice Alliance
 * Heritage Action for America
 * National Coalition for Public School Options
 * Opportunity Solutions Project
 * Salt and Light Council
 * Various individuals

Opposition
"This is an anti-gay bill, and if you vote for this anti-gay bill, after today you can never, ever claim to be an ally of the LGBTQ community. In fact, you are voting to be an opponent. I'm gonna vote down on this bill, and I'm going to say gay until I'm rainbow in the face."

- Representative Michael Grieco

Among others, the bill is strongly opposed within the legislature by:
 * Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-part of Orange, district 49), Florida's first LGBTQ+ Latinx legislator elected to either chamber
 * Rep. Michele K. Rayner (D-parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota, district 70), Florida's first openly gay Black woman elected to either chamber
 * Sen. Shevrin D. "Shev" Jones (D-parts of Broward and Miami-Dade, district 35), Florida's first Black gay Senator, formerly a Representative who publicly came out in 2018

At committee hearings, individuals representing themselves or representing organizations have waived in opposition or provided public testimony as opponents. As of February 26, 2022, the opponents have been:
 * AIDS Health Care Foundation
 * American Atheists
 * American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU of Florida)
 * COLAGE
 * Common Ground
 * Dream Defenders
 * Equality Florida
 * Family Equality
 * Florida AFL–CIO
 * Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
 * Florida Center for Fiscal & Economic Policy
 * Florida Coalition for Transgender Liberation
 * Florida Immigrant Coalition
 * Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW)
 * Florida PTA
 * Florida Rising
 * Florida State Conference of NAACP Branches
 * Florida Student Power Network
 * Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice FL
 * League of Women Voters
 * Mental Health Association of Central Florida
 * Miami-Dade County
 * National LGBTQ Task Force Action Force
 * Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund
 * St. Stephen Lutheran Church
 * Students for a Democratic Society
 * Various individuals

Overview
The official bill summary for CS/CS/HB 1557 is:
 * "Parental Rights in Education: Requires district school boards to adopt procedures that comport with certain provisions of law for notifying student's parent of specified information; requires such procedures to reinforce fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing & control of their children; prohibits school district from adopting procedures or student support forms that prohibit school district personnel from notifying parent about specified information or that encourage student to withhold from parent such information; prohibits school district personnel from discouraging or prohibiting parental notification & involvement in critical decisions affecting student's mental, emotional, or physical well-being; prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels; requires school districts to notify parents of healthcare services; authorizes parent to bring action against school district to obtain declaratory judgment; provides for additional award of injunctive relief, damages, & reasonable attorney fees & court costs to certain parents."

Before the House sent its version to the Senate Appropriations committee in place of the Senate bill, the official bill summary for SB 1845 was:
 * "Parental Rights in Education; Requiring district school boards to adopt procedures that comport with certain provisions of law for notifying a student’s parent of specified information; requiring such procedures to reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children in a specified manner; prohibiting a school district from adopting procedures or student support forms that require school district personnel to withhold from a parent specified information or that encourage or have the effect of encouraging a student to withhold from a parent such information; prohibiting a school district from encouraging classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a specified manner, etc."

Resources

 * On the Florida House of Representatives website:
 * CS/CS/HB 1557 - Parental Rights in Education (House of Representatives bill)
 * On the Florida Senate website:
 * SB 1834 (Senate bill)

On Florida Politics:
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