Florida Policy Action Network

01/26/2022

URGENT ACTION: Call-in January 27th or Today

Florida has no regulatory statute that guarantees lead-free clean drinking water for our children in public schools. In fact, most of the school districts in the state don’t even test school water for toxins. This year only we have federal funds to pay for putting filters and drinking stations in all our schools to STOP POISONING OUR CHILDREN.

We need you to call the Chair of the Florida House Early Learning and Elementary Education Committee (Rep. Vance Aloupis at 850-717-5115 ) and the Chair of the Senate Education Committee (Senator Joe Gruters at 850-487-5023) and ask them to put the Drinking Water in Public Schools bill on the agenda in their committee and save our children!

Click below to recieve a call-in script and more information on the Get the Lead Out bills.

https://www.psrflorida.org/events-1/get-the-lead-out-call-in-day

Children in Florida NEED YOUR HELP: We need you to call the Chair of the Florida House Early Learning and Elementary Education Committee Rep. Vance Aloupis and the Chair of the Senate Education Committee Senator Joe Gruters and ask them to put the Drinking Water in Public Schools on the agenda!!

11/08/2021

REGISTER BELOW:

Become a trans+ and reproductive health AMBASSADOR. This online training will educate and update you on Florida transgender, gender non-conforming and reproductive justice legislative issues and plug you in to advocate for trans+ and reproductive justice during interim committee weeks and in the 2022 legislative session.

https://www.fc4tl.org/events-1/fl-trans-and-repro-justice-ambassador-training

Join trans-led organizers at Florida Coalition for Transgender Liberation and Planned Parenthood organizers to discuss the legislative layout for trans+ and reproductive justice this legislative session and learn more about how to meet with legislators and advocate in your own local area.

11/08/2021

REGISTER BELOW:

Become a trans+ and reproductive health AMBASSADOR. This online training will educate to educate and update you on Florida transgender, gender non-conforming and reproductive justice legislative issues and plug you in yo advocate for trans+ and reproductive justice during interim committee weeks and in the 2022 legislative session.

https://www.fc4tl.org/events-1/fl-trans-and-repro-justice-ambassador-training

Join trans-led organizers at Florida Coalition for Transgender Liberation and Planned Parenthood organizers to discuss the legislative layout for trans+ and reproductive justice this legislative session and learn more about how to meet with legislators and advocate in your own local area.

06/07/2021

This is worse than McCarthyism:

"Gov. Ron DeSantis took aim at China on Monday, accusing the nation’s Communist government of covering up the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and waging a campaign to steal Florida’s secrets."

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-desantis-china-bills-20210607-6eahx5bujfhdtiahid2kkztgby-story.html

“All we are doing today is saying enough is enough," Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday before signing two bills targeting China.

05/26/2021

The legislation would bar Internet companies from suspending political candidates in the run-up to elections. It also would also make it easier for the Florida state attorney general and individuals to bring lawsuits when they think the tech companies have acted unfairly.

Legal experts and tech industry trade groups immediately raised concerns about the constitutionality of the law and warned that it gives the government too much power over online speech.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/05/24/florida-gov-social-media-230/%3foutputType=amp

The legislation would punish companies that suspend political candidates, and it would make it easier to bring lawsuits against tech companies.

04/29/2021

This piece....

“Emily Denise Gray is a trans woman from Bay County.

“We don’t just wake up one day and say, ‘hey you know what would be fun, let me just lose half of my family and friends and see if I get murdered.’ You just don’t do that,” she said. “All to play on a female’s sports team and maybe get a scholarship? That’s silly. No one does that.”

https://www.wmnf.org/legislature-revives-passes-trans-girl-sports-ban-prompting-fierce-backlash/

Florida’s transgender athlete ban was revived and passed by both chambers late Wednesday as an amendment to a different bill.

04/29/2021

URGENT ACTION NEEDED - Protect Trans+ Youth

In a corrupt backroom deal that silenced thousands speaking out to protect transgender, gender non-conforming, intersex and non-binary youth in Florida the Florida Legislature passed the anti-trans youth athlete bill in the late evening of Wednesday, April 28th, 2021.

JOIN the statewide trans-led Florida Coalition for Transgender Liberation in demanding that Governor Ron DeSantis VETO the anti-trans youth athlete ban. Click the image below to SEND AN EMAIL TODAY.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-gov-desantis-to-veto-the-anti-trans-youth-athlete-bill

Last night in a corrupt negotion the Florida Legislature passed the anti-trans youth athlete bill. Join the state's largest trans-led advocacy group in demanding that Governor Ron DeSantis veto the bill and protect Florida's economy from boycott while also protecting trans+ and intersex youth.

04/28/2021

BREAKING NEWS about the Florida Anti-Trans Youth Athlete Ban:

The Florida Legislature is pushing a last minute amendment to SB 1028 (the big charter school bill) that would include the anti-trans youth athlete ban in the overall education bill. This is the worst kind of trickery. Please stay tuned. We knew it wasn’t over and now they are pulling last minute power politics to pass the bill.

FYI - Amendment #6499221 amendment to #357618 to CS/CS/SB 1028 - They are Having questions on the amendment right now.

04/22/2021

Willow Leech is a trans woman. She said she wasn’t ready to come out publicly until later in life. And if she had been forced to come out earlier, she might not be here today.

“I would’ve been laughed at, harassed, bullied, assaulted,” she said. “I may well have been beaten or r***d. Driven to depression or self-harm. And committed su***de rather than continue to be treated as an abomination by the institutions that are supposed to protect us.”

https://www.wmnf.org/activists-warn-florida-is-becoming-unsafe-for-lgbtq-youth/

Following the passage of the ‘Parents Bill of Rights’, activists in Florida warn the state is becoming unsafe for LGBTQ youth.

04/19/2021

Thanks to our Guest Writer: Darwin Gamble

"Governor Ron DeSantis this morning surrounded himself with legislative leaders, two cabinet officers, and several law enforcement personnel--all white--and except for Attorney General Ashley Moody--all male. One purpose of the gathering was to show the governor signing HB 1 into law. But the event also gave DeSantis an opportunity to blow racist dog whistles in the direction of white Republican voters. "

https://www.flpan.org/post/desantis-blows-racist-dog-whistles-during-hb-1-news-conference

April 19, 2021 - Contributor Darwin Gamble speaks out on the racism implied in Governor Ron DeSantis's "signing of HB1" press conference today. Governor Ron DeSantis this morning surrounded himself with legislative leaders, two cabinet officers, and several law enforcement personnel--all white--and....

04/19/2021

The DeSantis Anti-Protest Bill is being signed into law this morning.

04/11/2021

What Happened this Week, What is to Come, and How You can :

This week in the Florida Legislature: 1) the DeSantis Anti-Protest Bill (HB1) passes its only Senate Committee and is on its way to the Senate Floor (it has already passed the House); 2) Anti-trans youth athlete bill (HB1475/SB2012) passes its final House Committee and is headed to the House Floor; 3) gutting of the state retirement system passes the House (SB84); 4) Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust sweep moves through the House and passes cutting affordable housing dollars in half; 5) Senate Rules Committee is packed with bad bills next Tuesday April 14th, and is set to hear many bills on their last committee stop including: a) the anti-trans bill (SB2012), b) the mail-in-ballot voter suppression bill (SB 90), c) the union busting bill (SB78), d) the guns in religious institutions bill (HB259), and e) the so-called "moments of silence" prayer in public schools bill (HB529); 6) the American Legislative Exchange Council attack on public education is succeeding as the limiting of Bright Futures passes in the Senate ( SB86/HB281); 7) the anti-abortion bill (SB1664/HB1221) passed its last House committee and is on the second reading calendar in the House; 8) campaign financing bill that will likely limit contributions to radical grassroots organizations is on the special order calendar on the House Floor on 4/13/2021 and on the Senate Floor on 4/14/2021; and finally, 9) the "Drones" bill that gives law enforcement the right to use drones without a warrant is getting fast tracked despite its unconstitutional challenge to the right to privacy. It passed in the Senate and is in messaging to the House. This bill would further enhance HB1 by allowing drone surveillance to be used as evidence in surveillance of a peaceful protest.

https://www.flpan.org/post/fl-legislative-roundup-session-week-6-4-5-9-2021

TALLAHASSEE, FL - This week in the Florida Legislature: 1) the DeSantis Anti-Protest Bill (HB1) passes its only Senate Committee and is on its way to the Senate Floor (it has already passed the House); 2) Anti-trans youth athlete bill (HB1475/SB2012) passes its final House Committee and is headed to...

04/11/2021

“Video of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and a panel of scientists apparently trading in Covid-19 misinformation has been pulled from YouTube.

The video of DeSantis’ roundtable discussion last month at the state Capitol in Tallahassee was removed on Wednesday because it violated the social media platform’s standards, YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/youtube-pulls-florida-governor-s-video-says-his-panel-spread-n1263635?fbclid=IwAR0FzaneMISSpT72XaGIvOfmyAPTisg5Agt-CYs4rMvJZ1w6NKj3-gu49EI

Several scientists questioned the use of masks by kids at Gov. Ron DeSantis' roundtable discussion last month.

04/09/2021

HB1 - the DeSantis Anti-Protest Bill - just passed Senate Appropriations and is on its way to the Senate Floor. Thanks to all the amazing people who spoke against the bill.

Please please send an email to the ENTIRE SENATE by clicking below. Tell them to VOTE NO on the bill when it comes to them on the Senate Floor.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-desantis-anti-protest-bill

Florida Legislators’ are FAST TRACKING Gov. Ron DeSantis’ racist unconstitutional bill (HB1/SB484) that supports draconian police state measures to criminalize Black Lives Matter protestors and peaceful dissenters in the state. On March 26, 2021, despite being sent 14,000+ emails, receiving hund...

04/07/2021

"The eight-page study was conducted by former Florida Senate senior economic policy advisor and University of West Florida (UWF) Haas Center for Business Research & Economic Development Director Dr. Rick Harper on behalf of the Florida Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform (CCJR).

Harper “conservatively” estimates HB 1 could result in felony sentences for 270 to 720 offenders a year, costing taxpayers up to $17.5 million annually."

https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/florida-would-face-economic-repercussions-by-adopting-anti-riot-transgender-sports-ban-bills/article_279aec1a-93cf-11eb-bfc2-efbcb99a72ef.html?fbclid=IwAR0RZ1EiZy2OCrdL7a-PO9VDMnydLkWGzlkn0BG-lWPPWZ0xwBxLCxEaWfI

(The Center Square) – Proposed “anti-riot” and transgender athlete ban bills are ideological priorities for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s Republican-dominated state Legislature, but economists and advocates warn there will

04/07/2021

"A coalition of Black lawmakers in Florida denounced efforts to restrict voting rights across the nation and called on big corporations to join the fight against what they call attempts by Republicans to suppress the vote.

The Florida Legislative Black Caucus issued a press release Monday, saying those voting restriction bills sponsored by Republican members of the Florida House and Senate are “opposed by every single one of Florida’s 67 elected Supervisors of Elections.”

https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/06/lawmakers-from-the-fl-black-caucus-call-on-big-corporations-to-join-the-fight-in-protecting-voting-rights/

A coalition of Black lawmakers in Florida denounced efforts to restrict voting rights across the nation and called on big corporations to join the fight against what they call attempts by Republicans to suppress the vote. The Florida Legislative Black Caucus issued a press release Monday, saying tho...

04/05/2021

Happening NOW!!

https://fb.watch/4G-ZLj_WMM/

04/05/2021

ACTION ALERT: Protect LGBTQ+ and Minority Youth then

The Senate is our last chance to kill the Bill HB241/SB582 the Unsafe Schools, or so-called "Parental Rights" Bill, disrupts the careful balance between parents’ rights and students’ constitutional rights within the Florida public school system. In particular, the bill presents problems for LGBTQ+ students who are already at risk of bullying and discrimination inside and outside of school by giving power and control to anti-LGBTQ+ and white supremacist parents, and parent groups, that are working to remove hard won LGBTQ+ “safe school” protections and inclusion policies.

Furthermore, this bill is championed by anti-black, anti-immigrant, climate deniers (namely the Florida Citizens Alliance - whose list of supporters include various tea party groups, pro gun lobby groups, and conservative religious groups) who will be allowed to to restrict, and potentially control, school curriculum including literature, history, science, and humanities lessons that are currently LGBTQ+, black, brown, indigenous and immigrant inclusive and reflect current educational standards through the legislation.

The Florida House has already passed this horrible bill. Our only chance is to kill it in the Senate. Please click "write email" to send an email to the Florida Senate. Tell them to VOTE NO on this terrible bill. Parents already have rights in the Florida Constitution. This bill is not giving parents rights - it is targeting our most vulnerable children and weakening our education system.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/protect-lgbtq-and-minority-youth-no-on-sb-582hb-241

HB241/SB582 the Unsafe Schools, or so-called "Parental Rights" Bill, disrupts the careful balance between parents’ rights and students’ constitutional rights within the Florida public school system. In particular, the bill presents problems for LGBTQ+ students who are already at risk of bullying...