ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics, could be expanded to the workplace if a bill introduced by Republican lawmakers is passed during the 2024 Legislative Session.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Local LGBTQ+ leaders are condemning this new proposed bill.
It’s titled Gender Identity Employment Practices.
READ: Florida Department of Education releases school grades in new system
Florida State Representative Ryan Chamberlin introduced the bill in November.
“As of right now this bill has no senate sponsor,” State Representative Rita Harris said. “We should keep it that way because it’s terrible for people, it’s bad for business, which means it’s bad for all Floridians.”
This proposed bill states it would prohibit employees and contractors of certain employers from being required to use, from providing, and from being asked to provide certain titles and pronouns.
The bill reads “It is the policy of the state that a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.”
READ: Here’s when construction starts on I-Drive pedestrian bridge
Former legislator Carlos Guillermo Smith spoke out on behalf of Equality Florida and says this shouldn’t be allowed in the workplace.
“The legislation targets the rights of transgender workers and goes far beyond just the regulation of pronouns to impose unprecedented political control,” Smith said.
The bill also states it would make it an unlawful employment practice for nonprofit organizations who receive funding from the state to require certain training, instruction, or activity regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
“It is detrimental that programs like The Center, organizations like The Center, exist and are strong,” Dr. George Wallace, the CEO of The Center Orlando said. “We need organizations and nonprofits in Florida to be strong and to fight back because we give back so much to our community.”
READ: ULA delays inaugural launch of new Vulcan Centaur rocket
We have reached out to Rep. Chamberlin for comment.
“Most who are up in arms about HB 599 are in favor of worker protections except when workers are being protected from an agenda that conflicts with their religious or moral convictions,” Rep. Chamberlin said in a statement. “All I want to do is keep tax-payer funded organizations from being able to fire someone for not participating in an ideological cram-down by the radical left.”
The next Florida Legislative Session begins in January. If the bill passes, it would go into effect on July 1st, 2024.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.