Latest news with #SB440
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate committee OKs misgendering of trans people in government jobs
An overflow crowd jammed into a Senate committee room in the Capitol on March 18, 2025, when the "Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act" was first slated to be heard (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) A hotly contested proposal that would prohibit the use of preferred pronouns in state and local government workplaces, and limit gender identity training for state and local government employees, won approval in its first committee stop on Tuesday. Labeled the 'Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act' (SB 440), the measure, sponsored by Ocala Republican Stan McClain, says that an employee in a public workplace may not be required to refer to another person using that person's preferred pronouns if such pronouns don't correspond to that person's sex at birth. It says that a public employee or contractor similarly cannot require his or her employer to use their preferred pronouns under the same circumstances. Additionally, job applications in public workplaces may only ask an applicant whether they are male or female and may not provide a nonbinary option. No government employer could punish an applicant, employee, or contractor because of their 'religious, moral, conscience-based, or biology based' beliefs, including if they oppose same-sex marriage or disagree with 'gender ideology,' whether at or away from the worksite. The measure would not affect the private sector. Dozens of speakers signed up to denounce the proposal, which compelled committee chair Sen. Randy Fine to limit public comments to just 30 seconds. 'We need to oppose the bill to avoid the continued suppression of our speech viewpoint and self-determination here in Florida,' said Monica Davis, with the group Florida Rising. 'The bill would promote workplace discrimination by supporting the outdated ideas that the use of transgender person-affirming pronouns are disconnected from reality.' 'Speaking as someone who doesn't support the Venezuelan government, nor the Cuban government, it's really appalling to see that the Cuban government and the Venezuelan government show more respect for gender identity than here in the Florida Legislature,' said Vanessa Garcia, who said she was born in Venezuela. 'And these are countries that are oppressive and restrictive so this is not the land of the free.' Claudia Thomas, elected late last year as the Central Florida city of Sanford's first openly LGBTQ member of the City Commission, said she would 'love' to get back to her city's problems with water, housing, and other matters instead of 'wasting her time talking about pronouns.' 'Your bill is misnamed: It should be the 'Freedom from Conscience' Act,' she declared. The measure would also make it illegal for any local government to require any training, instruction, or other activity on sexual orientation. The audience reacted derisively after Sen. Fine cracked, 'Enjoy your terrorist rag,' after a speaker wearing a keffiyeh over his shoulder left the dais. As members of the audience jeered him, Fine was defiant, saying, 'I'm the chairman, I can say what i want. If you don't like it, you can leave.' As the audience continued to make noise, Fine — who said earlier on Tuesday that this would be his last day in the Legislature as he seeks a congressional seat next week — warned that he would clear the room if he heard 'one more outburst.' 'I don't have to have any of you sit here. One more. One more. I'll clear the room. We'll debate, and we'll vote.' The meeting resumed without any more outbursts. The only legislator to speak about the bill was Orange County Democrat Kristen Arrington, who said she didn't understand the need for the legislation. 'The bill really does promote government employers and contractors to harass transgender individuals by allowing them to intentionally misgender them by using disrespectful pronouns and having no consequences,' she said. 'And this is a license to discriminate, free from accountability. It seems that's an attempt to create a hostile work environment for LGBTQ people, particularly transgender Floridians.' The bill defines gender identity as 'a fully internal and subjective sense of self, disconnected from biological reality and sex, and existing on an infinite continuum that does not provide a meaningful basis for identification and cannot be recognized as a replacement for sex.' 'We're not going to allow state employees to be coerced by their employers or subcontractors going forward,' declared Sen. McClain in making his closing pitch to the Senate Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability, which ultimately passed it on a party-line vote. It has two more committee stops before making the floor. A companion bill filed in the House (HB 1495) by Seminole Republican Rachel Plakon has yet to be heard in committee.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LGBTQ advocates march to Florida Capitol for trans rights, protest anti-DEI bills
LGBTQ rights advocates from across Florida walked the streets of Tallahassee and met at the steps of the Historic Capitol Thursday to protest legislation that would further roll back their rights. Wearing blue shirts that said "Let Us Live," protesters chanted, "This is what democracy looks like," in fierce wind and rain. "We need to start running for office," said Jules Rayne, a community organizer for Equality Florida and Manatee County resident. "We need to be everywhere, in every school district, in every county commissioner's seat, in every mayor's office." After years of the Florida Legislature passing bills that target the LGBTQ community, the Republican-led branch of government still isn't letting up. There are multiple bills attempting to further prohibit state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion in K-12 schools, state agencies and higher education. Hundreds of Floridians marched from Cascades Park to the Capitol Thursday morning for the "Let Us Live March" to protest these bills and hold a rally on the front Capitol steps with trans leaders, who said they weren't letting up, either. LGBTQ advocates highlighted a small win that happened earlier this week, when two anti-DEI bills, "Gender Identity Employment Practices" (SB 440) and "Prohibited Preferences in Government Contracting" (SB 1694) were postponed in their committee on Tuesday. SB 440, sponsored by Sen. Stan McClain, R-Ocala, and called the "Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act," would prohibit employers from being required to use certain pronouns or requiring them to use a pronoun that does not correspond to the employee's or contractor's sex. Critics are calling it the "Don't Say Gay or Trans at Work" bill. And SB 1694, sponsored by Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, would prohibit an awarding body from giving preference to a vendor on the basis of race or ethnicity. More than 1,000 members of the public signed up to comment during the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, which Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, R-Orlando, said attributed to the bills getting delayed. Smith said it's evidence that "people power works." "All of this other stuff related to DEI is not solving any problems. It's not improving anyone's life, and it's just honestly needlessly dividing us," he said. There are still other anti-DEI bills making their way through committees, however, including one that some say would push the controversy over book bans into overdrive and another that would potentially halt funds for efforts like domestic abuse shelters for women. "Prohibitions and Limitations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Requirements for Medical Institutions of Higher Education" (SB 1710) was passed through the same committee that temporarily postponed SB 440 and SB 1674. That measure, sponsored by Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg, prohibits state agencies from expending certain funds for a DEI office or officer. Another measure by McClain, the same sponsor as the "Don't Say Gay or Trans at Work" bill, would define the term "harmful to minors," and further limit classroom materials. "Material that is Harmful to Minors," (SB 1692), says: "The school board may not consider potential literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as a basis for retaining the material." That bill passed through a Senate Criminal Justice Committee and is headed to the Committee on Education K-12. If passed, work "by Shakespeare or other very well-known authors would be on the chopping block in our public schools, which brings us in the in the wrong direction all over again," Smith said. And most worrisome for Rayne, the Manatee County community organizer, is "Official Actions of Local Governments" (SB 420), which would prohibit counties and municipalities from funding, promoting or taking official action as it relates to DEI. It would prohibit local governments from promoting or providing differential or preferential treatment or special benefits to a person or group based on that person's or group's race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Critics of the bill included some Republicans, who said the bill needed more work, especially with the word "differential" versus "preferential." "If we provide differential treatment to a person based on sex, that could create a problem with a program that was intended for abused women, which nobody would want to get rid of," said Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. "We really need to hone in on where you're trying to go." The bill still passed along party lines, with all Republicans voting yes. Rayne said she believes this bill, along with many of the other anti-DEI measures, are broadly written, poorly defined and don't serve the diverse, unique population of Florida. "It's going to put Floridians' lives at risk and further erase our culture," she said. "These bills are not what people are talking about at their kitchen table. "Culture wars are not what Floridians care about." Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@ This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: LGBTQ advocates march to Florida Capitol to protest anti-DEI bills
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Only 1 teen will be charged with MARTA bus driver's murder, DA's office says
The Brief A DeKalb County judge ruled that there is enough evidence to move forward with felony murder and aggravated assault charges against a 16-year-old accused of fatally shooting MARTA bus driver Leroy Ramos on Jan. 3, 2025. Prosecutors dismissed charges against two other teens involved in the argument, determining they did not participate in the shooting. The District Attorney's Office has not yet decided whether the accused shooter will be tried as a juvenile or as an adult under Georgia's SB440 law, which allows certain juveniles to be prosecuted as adults for violent crimes. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County judge ruled Wednesday that the case against a 16-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting a MARTA bus driver earlier this year will proceed. During a preliminary hearing, Magistrate Court Judge Claire Jason determined there was enough evidence to move forward with charges of felony murder and aggravated assault against the teen, whose name has not been released due to his age. What we know According to investigators, the shooting occurred on the evening of Jan. 3, 2025, at the Decatur MARTA station. Authorities said three juveniles—two 16-year-olds and a 14-year-old—were involved in an argument with MARTA bus driver Leroy Ramos, 47. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation after all parties left the bus. During the altercation, one of the 16-year-olds allegedly pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots, striking and killing Ramos. ORIGINAL STORY: MARTA bus driver shot and killed at Decatur Station identified by police After a thorough investigation, the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office determined that the other two teens involved in the argument did not participate in the shooting. As a result, charges against them have been dismissed. What's next Prosecutors have not yet decided whether the alleged shooter will be tried as a juvenile or as an adult in Superior Court. The case is currently assigned to the District Attorney's SB440 Unit, which handles cases involving juvenile suspects who may be tried as adults under Georgia law. Senate Bill 440, enacted in 1994, allows juveniles between the ages of 13 and 17 to be tried as adults for serious offenses, including murder, voluntary manslaughter, and certain violent felonies involving firearms. OTHER RELATED STORIES Third juvenile accused in killing MARTA driver over fare surrenders to police MARTA bus driver quits due to safety concerns after co-worker's murder The investigation is ongoing, and the District Attorney's Office has not announced a timeline for its decision on how the case will proceed.
