Resistance Report Week 5: Democracy is under attack!

The big news out of Tallahassee this week: the Attacking Citizen-Led Amendments Bill (HB 1205) has officially PASSED the Florida House. This dangerous anti-democracy legislation—one of Governor DeSantis’ top priorities—is being fast-tracked through the legislative process, but there is still time to oppose this measure in the Senate. 

There’s also encouraging news! Our collective action is making a real difference. This week, public outcry helped delay a vote in a Senate committee on the Anti-Diversity in Local Government Bill (HB 1571/SB 420) — one of the most extreme bills filed this session. While the bill remains a serious threat, momentum is building to defeat it and other harmful anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Let’s take a closer look at everything that happened this week!

Our ongoing Pride At The Capitol program is a crucial element of our work to stop or minimize the impact of bad bills and prepare for legal challenges against any that are passed into law.

But this effort relies heavily on pro-equality supporters like YOU taking action. Your presence in Tallahassee, your stories, and your participation in committee hearings are crucial. We’ll be in the Capitol through all 60 days of the legislative session. We’ve already demonstrated the sheer power that showing us together in numbers – join us on the frontlines by signing up to support our effort in-person during any of the remaining days and weeks ahead.

If you can’t join us in person, please consider a donation to help us get as many people to Tallahassee as possible. Every dollar counts! 

This week’s WINNER is Representative Angie Nixon! Rep. Nixon stood strong in defense of our freedom to vote on the policies that govern our lives with her powerful closing debate against the Attacking Citizen-Led Amendments bill (HB 1205) on the House floor. As Ranking Democratic Member, she also held the line in opposition to an extreme book banning proposal (HB 1539) during the House Education Administration Subcommittee hearing on the bill.

This week’s LOSER is Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, the sponsor of the Attacking Citizen-Led Amendments bill (HB 1205) that’s being fast-tracked in the Florida House right now. This legislation imposes new and insurmountable barriers that put constitutional amendments even further out of reach and consolidate power toward politicians and away from the voters.  

Now, let’s take you through exactly what happened in Week #5, what’s still coming, and how you can take action.

Anti-Diversity In Local Government (HB 1571/SB 420)

Sponsors: Sen. Clay Yarborough and Rep. Dean Black

• What it does: These bills ban local governments from funding or enacting DEI-related policies, nondiscrimination ordinances, or resolutions recognizing different communities’ history (such as Pride Month or Black History Month), and can subject local officials who take any official action to removal from office. This outrageous state overreach censors local governments and restricts their ability to respond to community needs and priorities.
   
• What happened: This bill was initially scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it was temporarily postponed (TP’d), delaying the bill from a vote. As one of the most dangerous bills this legislative session, it was a great win for the week to have this bill delayed. But we’re not out of the woods yet. We must continue to speak out in opposition to this bad bill.

• How you can help: We need you to contact lawmakers right away and urge them to vote NO on SB 420.

Birth Control Ban for Minors Bill (HB 1505/SB 1288)

Sponsors: Sen. Erin Grall and Rep. Rachel Plakon

• What it does: The Birth Control Ban for Minors Bill (also known as Restricting Minors’ Access to Health Care) would restrict minors’ access to birth control, STI testing and treatment, and more without parental consent. Our public health system should prioritize young peoples’ ability to take responsibility for their health and proactively minimize health risks.
• What happened: SB 1288 PASSED out of the Senate Judiciary committee by a vote of 8-3, it’s second of three committee stops, with an amendment to preserve minors’ existing access to STI screening by trained professionals without parental consent. HB 1505 also PASSED out of the House Health & Human Services Committee by a vote of 19-7, the first of three committee stops.  

• How you can help: Contact lawmakers right away and urge them to vote NO on SB 1288/HB 1505.

Attacking Citizen-Led Amendments (HB 1205/SB 7016)

Sponsors: Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka and Sen. Erin Grall

• What it does: These bills attempt to effectively End Citizen-Led Amendments that allow we the people to change the state constitution via statewide referendum. Florida already has some of the strictest requirements in the nation for citizen-led amendments, but this legislation imposes new and insurmountable barriers that put constitutional amendments even further out of reach and consolidate power toward politicians and away from the voters. 

• What happened: HB 1205 PASSED in the Florida House by a vote of 76-31, with several Republicans joining unanimous opposition by Democrats. SB 7016 has been scheduled for a hearing in its final Senate committee, Fiscal Policy, on Tuesday, April 8th at 2:00pm.

• How you can help: Contact Senators on the Fiscal Policy Committee right away and tell them to vote NO on SB 7016.

Expanding Book Banning (HB 1539/SB 1692) 

Sponsors: Rep. Doug Bankson and Sen. Stan McClain

• What it does: This bill would increase book banning and censorship in Florida’s K-12 schools by rejecting a longstanding constitutional standard to make it easier to object to educational materials. Parents have long had the opportunity to challenge content in Florida’s schools, but under recent state laws, authoritarian practices like banning books and censoring curricula have drastically increased. Florida already leads the nation in book-banning, with over 4,500 books banned during the last school year. Further limiting students’ access to books does not protect students, it makes them less prepared to succeed.

• What happened: HB 1539 PASSED through its first committee in the House. Next, it heads to the House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee. SB 1692 was also originally on the Senate Education Pre-K – 12 Committee agenda for a vote this week, but the bill was temporarily postponed. This means the bill did not receive a vote and remains in its second Senate committee of reference for now.

• How you can help: Contact lawmakers right away and urge them to vote NO on these bad bills.

As we continue over the next 26 days, we must remember that our voices matter, our actions matter, and our movement matters.

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Together, we will resist, and we will make a difference.