Nearly 20 anti-LGBT+ bills were shut down as a result of the session’s closing date of the 2024 Florida legislative session on March 8.
“The battle to open Florida from Governor DeSantis’ destructive and intense agenda of state censorship and incursion into people’s lives is not over, but the tide is turning,” according to Human Rights Campaign Vice President Geoff Wetrosky.
Only one of the numerous anti-LGBT+ legislations was approved by DeSantis during the session, according to a media release from the HRC.
Some of the proposals that were defeated during this session include bans on Pride flags in government buildings, expansions of “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” restrictions in workplaces, and gender-identity changes for driver’s licenses and other state-issued documents, according to the release.
House Bill 1639, dubbed by LGBTQ+ activists the “Trans Erasure Bill,” was one of those bills that attracted a lot of protests and saw hundreds of transgender and allied Floridians stage a “Let Us Live rally” outside the Florida Capitol.
Numerous visits to the Capitol were organized by HRC, Equality Florida, Florida Rising, and Citizens Protecting Freedom to raise awareness of these bills, yet calling over 200 people to legislators who oppose the anti-LGBT+ policies.
Despite GOP pressure to pass laws, Democratic Senate President Kathleen Passidomo stayed focused on upholding the process throughout the current legislative session.
“Our act method is not the Florida Republican Party. We are the Legislature. We pass legislation. Because the Republican Party of Florida has a platform, we review laws, but I won’t because that would violate our rules,” said Passidomo in a February interview with POLITICO.
HB 1291, also known as the “Stop WOKE Teacher Training Bill,” passed through the legislature and is currently awaiting Governor DeSantis’ approval. However, many proposals did not pass through the Senate.
The State Board of Education would be prohibited from addressing systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and inequality in teacher training if the bill were to be signed. Additionally, it may outlaw any training that “teaches identity politics,” according to the release.
State Representative Anna V. Eskamani claims that the fighting paid off and will continue to pay off if citizens continue despite the challenges of this legislative session.
“This legislative session was challenging. No real changes were made to address the issues with housing affordability or the home healthcare crisis. Further pre-emphasis was put on workers’ rights and wages,” according to Eskamani in a press release. “But we did prevent the passage of some of the worst bills, including an attempt at fetal personhood, and efforts to relax Florida’s already stringent gun laws. This was a session where advocacy paid off, and I urge all engaged Central Floridians to carry on the fight.”
