Update from Tallahassee- Progress on Anti-Bullying Bill- April 25th
| Update from Tallahassee- Progress on Anti-Bullying Bill- April 25th |
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| Good news! Today the FL House of Representatives amended the pending anti-bullying legislation so that our state’s strongest existing safe schools policies will not be repealed. |
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| The bill had included language that would have required schools to eliminate policies that include categories of harassment that name the most frequent targets of bullying. Safe schools experts and the US Supreme Court agree that categories are essential to being able to enforce policies dealing with discrimination and harassment. The Senate version of the bill was also amended to fix this flaw. |
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| Without this amendment the bill would have repealed every anti-harassment policy in Florida that included categories – including every policy that specifically banned harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. With these amendments those policies are now safe, and additional strong policies are possible. |
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| The final version of the bill will be voted on in the House as early as today, and the Senate version has one final committee before heading to the floor for a vote as well. |
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| Thanks to all Equality Florida members and our allies for continuing to push for the strongest, most effective anti-bullying policies. You are making a difference.
Nadine Smith |
