A new bill introduced in both the Florida House and Senate aims to impose restrictions on government agencies concerning the use of preferred personal pronouns. Originally filed as HB 599 by Representative Ryan Chamberlin in November, a companion Senate bill was introduced on January 4 by State Senator Jonathan Martin.
If the bill passes and receives approval, it will establish an official state policy regarding the use of pronouns. Moreover, the legislation would prohibit employees or contractors of state agencies from facing adverse action if they choose not to use an individual’s preferred pronouns.
The proposed law might also make it unlawful for specific employers, including non-profit organizations and those receiving state funds, to mandate certain training, instruction, or activities as conditions of employment, as outlined in the bill’s text.
This potential legislation serves as an extension of a similar restriction on teachers and school officials passed into law last year. Titled CS 1069, this law, which represented a broader overhaul of the education system, included language prohibiting school employees from being required to use or provide requested pronouns that differ from a person’s sex.
Following the passage of this law, three Florida teachers filed a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that the provision is discriminatory on the basis of sex and violates their rights to free speech. The progress and implications of the new bill will be closely monitored as it navigates through the legislative process.