Resistance Report Week 4: Progress Made, Battles Ahead

It’s been an incredibly busy week at the Florida Capitol! We’re nearly halfway through the legislative session, and it’s make-or-break time for many key bills.

The good news? We made real progress. One bad bill was amended in committee, significantly narrowing its harmful impact, and another major threat was fully neutralized in the House. In collaboration with our coalition partners, we helped knock two bad bills off the agenda — and one was defeated outright. Of course, not everything went our way: three harmful bills advanced through committee, reminding us the fight is far from over.

There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s dive in!

(Left) Equality Florida and SPLC join Florida Rising for their Lobby Days Training. 

(Right) Fernandina Beach Commissioner Genece Minshew in the Capitol to discuss legislative priorities.

Our coalition partners at Equal Ground, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), ACLU of Florida, and others held a voting rights press conference this week! Through their Harriet T. & Harriet V. Moore Voting Rights Rally, they honored the legacy of two civil rights giants who gave their lives for the cause of justice. Representative LaVon Bracy Davis and State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith provided remarks at the rally. The energy was powerful. The message was clear: Our votes matter. Our voices matter. Our future matters.

We always love connecting with our pro-equality champions in the building! Senator Kristen Arrington had an incredible week, leading the fight against Don’t Say Gay or Trans At Work in the Senate Government Oversight Committee, which also helped Equality Florida and partners run out the clock and deny a hearing on the Anti-Diversity in State Contracting bill (SB 1694), as well as a confederate monument protection bill and an anti-union bill. We’re grateful to have such strong support and leadership from our allies! 

State Senator Kristen Arrington joins Equality Florida staff after a successful committee hearing

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 — 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 WINNERS are Representatives Kelly Skidmore, Lindsay Cross, Anna Eskamani, Ashley Gantt, Dotie Joseph, and Debra Tendrich, who battled the Attacking Citizen-Led Amendments bill (HB 1205) in the House State Affairs Committee this week. These outspoken lawmakers were a powerhouse! They tag-teamed against the bill with repeated rounds of tough questions, insightful debate, and pushing for critical amendments to blunt the anti-democratic effects of this harmful legislation.  

This week’s LOSER is Senator Randy Fine. Senator Fine is resigning from the Florida legislature this week, leaving a shameful legacy of legislating hate and harm, like his 2023 Ban on Gender Affirming Care law and his Campus Carry bill that failed in committee this week with bipartisan opposition. Much of his agenda in the legislature can be summarized as toxic, dangerous, and extreme. It’s past time we say GOODBYE to this loser!  

Now, let’s take you through exactly what happened in Week #4, 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 enacting DEI-related policies, ordinances, or resolutions recognizing different communities’ history (such as Pride Month or Black History Month), defund DEI initiatives, 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: URGENT - This is one of the most dangerous bills we’re facing this legislative session, and it’s been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee THIS Tuesday, April 1, at 4:00pm ET. This is an all hands on deck moment to stop this terrible legislation!

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

🚨 Banning Diversity & Equity In State Agencies (HB 731/SB 1710)🚨

Sponsors: Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Rep. Lauren Melo

• What it does: This legislation would defund DEI in state agencies and ban state contractors and grantees from using state funds for DEI; the House bill has additional anti-DEI measures for state boards and healthcare education.

• What happened: HB 731 PASSED out of the House Government Operations Subcommittee this week on a party-line vote, but not before being COMPLETELY NEUTRALIZED! All anti-DEI provisions were removed from the bill. But we must remain vigilant. The Senate companion to this bill has not been amended and is still a real threat. It’s critical we continue to speak out against SB 1710. 

Equality Florida staff and volunteers are joined by PRISM’s Executive Director to testify against a slew of anti-LGBTQ bills in committee.

• How you can help: We need you to contact lawmakers right away and urge them to vote NO on SB 1710.

🚨Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work 2.0 (HB 1495/SB 440)🚨

Sponsors: Sen. Stan McClain and Rep. Rachel Plakon

• What it does: This bill enacts state regulations on pronoun use in government and private government contractor workplaces. It shields employees from accountability for anti-trans harassment and intentional misgendering, and prohibits the inclusion of a transgender or nonbinary gender option on any job application or related employment form. The bill also prohibits LGBTQ-related cultural competency training requirements for government workers.

• What happened: SB 440 PASSED out of the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight & Accountability. The committee adopted an amendment that removed a bad “Bible or biology” provision and narrowed the applicability of certain provisions to exclude sexual orientation issues, but it remains an overtly harmful bill. This bill now moves to its second Senate committee, the Judiciary Committee.

• How you can help: We need you to contact lawmakers right away and urge them to vote NO on SB 440/HB 1495.

🚨Pride Flag Ban Bill (HB 75/SB 100)🚨

Sponsors: Sen. Randy Fine and Rep. Alex Borrero

• What it does: Flags have historically been used to connect communities in an exercise of free speech. The Pride Flag Ban Bill bans government buildings from raising any flag that represents a “political viewpoint,” including Pride Flags. Born largely from far-right activists protesting LGBTQ pride flags on government buildings, it attacks visibility in public spaces and classrooms for all minority groups.

• What happened: SB 100 PASSED out of the Senate Community Affairs Committee on a party-line vote. Next, it will go to its final committee stop, Senate Rules, before a full vote on the Senate floor. 

• How you can help: Contact the lawmakers on the next Senate and House committees and tell them to vote NO on SB 100/HB 75.

Volunteers turned out to oppose the Pride Flag Ban Bill!

🚨 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 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 Education Pre-K - 12 Committee by a 5-4 vote. Republican Senator Alexis Calatayud joined Democrats in voting against this bad bill. Next, it moves to the Senate Judiciary, where it’s been scheduled for a committee hearing this Tuesday, April 1st, at 4:00pm ET. 

HB 1505 has also been scheduled for a vote this coming Monday, March 31st, in the House Health & Human Services Committee at 1:30pm ET.

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

🚨OPPOSE: End Citizen-Led Amendments (HB 1205/SB 7016)🚨

Sponsors: Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka

• 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 out of the House State Affairs Committee, its final committee in the House. 

Next, it’s been scheduled for a full vote on the House Floor on Thursday, April 3rd. 

• How you can help: We need you to contact your representative right away and tell them to vote NO on HB 1205.

🚨OPPOSE: Repeal the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Firearms Safety Law (HB 759)🚨

Sponsors: Rep. Salzman and Sirois

• What this bill does: Florida law sets the age required to purchase all firearms at 21, but these bills would repeal a key provision of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Act and would allow 18 year olds to purchase and carry long guns (including AR-15s), undermining progress made in the wake of the 2018 Parkland tragedy.

• What happened: HB 759 PASSED out of the Florida House of Representatives by a 78-34 vote count. Notably, Representative Jose Alvarez was the ONLY Democrat to support the bill, while  Republicans Vicki Lopez, Hilary Cassel, Susan Valdes, Chip LaMarca, Anne Gerwig, and Peggy Gosset-Seidman joined most Democrats in opposition. Next, this bill will be sent to the Senate for consideration.

Before the vote, Representative Christine Hunschofsky, who was the mayor of Parkland at the time of the 2018 shooting, delivered an impassioned debate on the Floor urging all of her colleagues to vote NO.

• How you can help: Contact your senator today and urge them to oppose this bill.

🚨OPPOSE: Campus Carry Bill (SB 814)🚨

Sponsors: Senator Randy Fine

• What this bill does: The Campus Carry Bill would permit the concealed carry of firearms on any college or university campus in Florida, including in dormitories and at sporting events, making educational campuses, and the communities they serve, less safe for everyone and potentially exacerbating gun violence at Florida institutions of higher education.

• What happened: We’re excited to report that SB 814 was REJECTED and failed to pass out of its first Senate Committee hearing, which means this bill is officially dead this session! Republican Senator Ileana Garcia joined Democrats to vote NO on this dangerous legislation.  

The resistance is making headlines! We’re going to continue showing the world what it looks like to resist, fight back, and WIN.

March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility! Today and every day, we celebrate the resilience and strength of our transgender community. 

"In the face of years of efforts to attack my existence and my rights, I will stand in my truth and I won't let anyone steal my identity or my joy. Because transgender people exist, and we always will." - Angelique Godwin, Equality Florida's Director of Transgender Equality

As we continue over the next 33 days, we must remember that our voices matter, our actions matter, and our movement matters.

Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok for the latest updates. 

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