A new bill filed in the Florida legislature Tuesday, November 21 would expand Florida’s Parental Rights in Education or so-called Don’t Say Gay law in the state to include some workplaces.
Ocala Republican Representative Ryan Chamberlin filed HB 599 on Tuesday.
The bill would stop state employees and contractors from using preferred pronouns for themselves or their coworkers.
It would also ban training and activities at nonprofits if it included instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation.
The current iteration of the Parental Rights in Education law applies to K-12 public schools in the state.
Central Florida schools are still interpreting how to apply the law.
Orange County Schools says teachers will most likely be allowed to use students’ preferred pronouns as long as they have parental consent.
Here's what the bill would stipulate:
- state employees and contractors can't be required to use a person's preferred pronouns
- state employees and contractors are not allowed to provide their employer with their preferred pronouns/ask to be called by their preferred pronouns
- an employer may not ask an employee for their preferred pronouns
- an employer may not take personnel action against an employee based on their, "belief in traditional or Biblical views of marriage, or the employee or contractor's disagreement with gender ideology"
- nonprofits or any employer that receives funding from the state may not provide training or any other activity on sexuality or gender identity
- penalties for not following these rules, would include, "discharge, suspension, transfer or demotion"
If the bill is approved, it would go into effect July 1, 2024. The preferred pronouns portion of the bill would not apply to anyone born intersex.
