Equality Florida Legislative Update 1 - HB 17
There’s a new threat in Tallahassee to our hard won LGBTQ protections.
A bill (HB 17) that would repeal a range of local policies, including LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinances, is being fast-tracked through the Florida House.
If passed, HB 17 would set an expiration date for existing Human Rights Ordinances that now protect 60% of Floridians in employment, housing, and public accommodations, and would prohibit any future ordinances from becoming law. It would even prevent the Jacksonville City Council from implementing the HRO they just passed after years of advocacy!
Dangerous legislation like this is why we need you on our team. Click here to join our volunteer team and RSVP for our annual Lobby Days in Tallahassee.
This bill is so much bigger than any anti-LGBTQ bill we’ve fought and defeated. HB 17 would have sweeping implications for so many progressive causes. If passed, it could impact minimum wage ordinances, important policies to protect our environment, local measures to safeguard public health, and a whole host of other policies local governments should be able to pass in the best interest of their constituents.
Just last year, the entire country watched as North Carolina paid the price for fast-tracking House Bill 2, a deeply discriminatory bill that repealed local protections for LGBTQ people and other important local policies.
We need you to be with us every step of the way as we resist any attack on our hard-fought victories, as we stand shoulder to shoulder with other communities who will be impacted if this bill becomes law. Join us in Tallahassee on March 20 & 21 and help us advocate for a safer, more equal Florida for all of us.