The Florida House passed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill Thursday after an emotionally-charged debate.
The measure passed with bipartisan support, picking up one Democratic vote. Seven Republicans voted no on the legislation.
The bill by Rep. Joe Harding (R-Williston) bans class lessons on gender identity or sexual orientation for grades K-through-3. Lessons for older kids must be “age-appropriate” as defined by state standards.
The bill also allows parents to sue school districts if they have complaints related to LGBTQ lessons and an amendment approved by the House earlier this week gives parents an alternative path to address their grievances—through a special magistrate.
“The whole intent is the parent who maybe doesn’t have the resources to hire the attorney to take the cause of action route," Harding said. "They have a path and they have a timeline they can count on to resolve this this problem.”
Harding withdrew a controversial amendment earlier this week that critics said would have forced school principals to out LGBTQ students
to their parents.
But even without the amendment, Rep. Michele Rayner (D-St. Petersburg) said she sees the bill as an attack by some state Republican lawmakers on the LGBTQ community.
“I know y’all are going to vote up on this bill and I’m not going to give you a pass," she said. "Because if you vote up on this bill, if it talks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, and it’s a duck.”
Rayner said she hasn't heard of any problems arising in the state that call for this bill as the solution.
But Rep. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin (R-Miami) says he’s heard of kindergarteners being taught about LGBTQ people, a lesson plan which he opposes.
“This is happening," he said. "We have children as young as six-years-old being taught radical leftist gender theory. It’s frightening.”
Critics of the measure said they hope the Senate will see there was bipartisan opposition to the bill and decide not to move forward with it. But it’s scheduled to be heard in the chamber’s Appropriations committee next week.
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