2026 Legislative Slate

2026 Legislative Slate

As of January 16, 2026

LGBTQ+ EQUALITY 

OPPOSE HB 347/SB 426: Continuing the attacks on visibility for the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities that resulted in ripped up crosswalks and street murals over the summer, the Pride Flag Ban bill would ban any flags regarding “political ideology, race, gender, or sexual orientation” from government buildings. The terms are so broad that they ban even rainbow imagery on posters, coffee cups, and lapel pins. This is blatant censorship. By erasing symbols of inclusion from public spaces and classrooms, this bill seeks to send a message about who belongs and who does not. Sponsors are Rep. Borrero and Sen. Yarborough. 

OPPOSE HB 641/SB 1642: The Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work bill brings Florida’s culture wars directly into the workplace by regulating how people refer to themselves and others on the job. It would shield employees from accountability for intentionally misgendering transgender coworkers, and even prohibits job applicants from identifying as transgender or nonbinary on job applications. The bill also seeks to block LGBTQ+-inclusive cultural competency training in certain workplaces, making environments less safe and less respectful. This bill would undermine dignity and basic professionalism in the workplace. Sponsors are Rep. Plakon and Sen. McClain. 

OPPOSE HB 743/SB 1010: The More Lawsuits for Teachers & Doctors bills hand the Attorney General sweeping authority to investigate and sue school staff and health care providers under vague and undefined standards, intensifying Florida’s attacks on transgender youth and LGBTQ+ communities. The bills weaponize state government to intimidate and punish public servants, pile new felony penalties onto care that is already prohibited, and turn Florida’s classrooms into legal minefields. Instead of protecting children or families, these bills will reduce access to healthcare for everyone, drive providers and educators out of the state, saddle taxpayers with new costs, and erode public trust. Sponsors are Rep. Melo and Sen. Yarborough. 

SUPPORT HB 6019/SB 952: Marriage equality is the law of the land, protected by the courts and the federal Respect for Marriage Act. Yet Florida law still includes outdated and unconstitutional language claiming the state recognizes only marriages between one man and one woman. The Marriage Ban Repeal bill would protect our families and respect the law. Nearly two-thirds of Floridians support marriage equality, and it’s time for Florida’s laws to reflect both constitutional reality and the will of the people. Sponsors are Rep. Driskell and Sen. Polsky.

SUPPORT HB 383/SB 338: The Johns Committee Resolution calls on the Legislature to finally acknowledge and formally apologize for its relentless targeting of civil rights leaders, academic leaders, and LGBTQ+ Floridians during its “John’s Committee” investigations in the 1950s and 1960s. Fueled by racist, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-communist hysteria, the Johns Committee outed, harassed, fired, and destroyed the careers and lives of hundreds of LGBTQ+ students, professors, and public employees. A formal apology cannot undo the harm, but it is a necessary step toward truth, accountability, and healing. Florida must reckon with its past to ensure these abuses are never repeated. Sponsors are Rep. Rayner and Sen. Smith.

YOUTH & EDUCATION 

Every student deserves a learning environment grounded in truth, curiosity, and respect. Schools should foster free thought, accurate information, and critical thinking–not fear or censorship. As more young people come out at earlier ages, school is often the first place they test whether it’s safe to be themselves. Safe, affirming schools–where every student is protected and every family is respected–are essential to student success and achieving full equality for LGBTQ+ Floridians. When students feel supported, they thrive both inside and outside the classroom. 

OPPOSE HB 1119/SB 1692: The Book Ban Expansion bill would supercharge book banning and censorship in Florida’s K-12 schools by discarding a long-standing constitutional standard to make it easier to challenge and remove educational materials. Florida already leads the nation in book bans. This bill doubles down on authoritarian practices like censorship and disproportionately targets books about LGBTQ+ people, race, and history. Denying students access to books doesn't protect them; it leaves them less informed, less prepared, and less able to think critically. Sponsors are Rep. Bankson and Sen. McClain. 

OPPOSE HB 1071/SB 1090: Rather than ensuring students receive a comprehensive, age-appropriate education, the Student Indoctrination Act redirects public dollars to push political agendas and government-mandated misinformation in classrooms. It would make Florida’s already limited sexual health education opt-in only, creating new bureaucratic hurdles for schools and families, while denying students access to critical information. The bill also bans school districts from using any state or federal funds for programs or activities vaguely deemed “political or social activism.” Sponsors are Rep. Trabulsy and Sen. Grall. 

SUPPORT HB 677/SB 790: The Freedom to Learn Act would undo years of damage inflicted on LGBTQ+ and marginalized students, while restoring academic freedom and common sense in Florida’s schools. It would allow age-appropriate instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation, allows affirming pronouns, and protects students from being forcibly outed when doing so could endanger their safety. The bill also narrows the grounds for book banning and allows colleges and universities to support diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and campus activities. This legislation affirms a simple principle: every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and supported at school. Sponsors are Rep. Nixon and Sen Davis.

SUPPORT HB 331/SB 1492: The Parental Rights in Health Education bill truly restores parental rights by returning decisions about sexual health education to local school boards, where families can engage directly. Since 2023, the state’s takeover of curriculum approval has left districts in limbo, with the Department of Education repeatedly failing to approve plans. As a result, students have been denied access to essential, medically-accurate lessons on consent, contraception, and disease prevention. This bill reduces state censorship and keeps students healthy and informed. Sponsors are Rep. Hart and Sen. Davis.

HEALTH & REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM 

The freedom to make our own healthcare decisions is fundamental to dignity, autonomy, and equality. That includes gender-affirming care, abortion access, HIV prevention and treatment, and other essential services that LGBTQ+ people and their families rely on. These decisions are deeply personal and should be made by individuals and families in consultation with trusted medical professionals, not dictated by politicians in Tallahassee. Protecting healthcare freedom means protecting lives, families, and the right of every Floridian to control their own future. 

OPPOSE HB 551/SB 670: The License to Discriminate in Healthcare Expansion bill builds on a 2023 law that created a broad and vague basis to refuse to provide or pay for health care services that are at odds with a healthcare provider’s or insurer’s claimed religious, ethical, or moral beliefs. The law should only allow someone to object to a specific service and not on the basis of a patient’s identity, but is ripe for abuse. The current bill doubles-down by allowing a healthcare provider or insurer to file a lawsuit for monetary damages if they claim their religious, ethical, or moral beliefs have been violated. Sponsors are Rep. Black and Sen. Yarborough. 

OPPOSE HB 173/SB 166: The Endangering Our Kids Act would put young people at risk by restricting minors’ access to birth control, STI treatment, and other essential healthcare without parental consent. In the real world, not all young people can safely involve a parent in sensitive health decisions. Public health policy should empower youth to take responsibility for their wellbeing, not punish them for seeking care when they are vulnerable or afraid. This bill prioritizes control over safety and will lead to worse health outcomes for young Floridians. Sponsors are Rep. Kendall and Sen. Grall. 

OPPOSE HB 289/SB 164: The Abusers’ Bill of Rights bill is a dangerous anti-abortion measure that would give abusers a new legal weapon by allowing them to sue people who have accessed abortion care. For survivors of domestic violence, this opens the door to intimidation, retaliation, and continued control long after abuse has occurred. The bill claims to fix a problem that doesn’t exist, as Florida law already allows lawsuits for negligence and malpractice leading to pregnancy loss. The true purpose of this bill is to scare people out of accessing reproductive healthcare, no matter the cost to survivors’ safety. Sponsors are Rep. Greco and Sen. Grall. 

OPPOSE HB 663/SB 1374: The Abortion Bounty bill would turn Floridians against one another by offering up to $100,000 bounties to people who sue patients for accessing abortion pills through telehealth or by mail. It invites family members–and abusers–to act as vigilantes. This is a cruel and extreme attempt to block reproductive care through fear and financial ruin. It undermines privacy, endangers survivors, and weaponizes the legal system to advance a fringe ideological agenda. The sponsors are Rep. Abbott, Rep. Jacques, and Sen. Martin. 

OPPOSE HB 1487/SB 1680: The Restricting Family Building & Surrogacy bill attacks the freedom to build a family by closing off long-standing pathways to parenthood, especially for LGBTQ+ people and others who rely on assisted reproductive technology (ART). By banning “pre-planned” adoptions for families using gestational surrogacy, the bill enforces a narrow legal framework designed to exclude LGBTQ+ and other nontraditional families. The requirements imposed for who would be allowed to use ART to form a family radically transform Florida’s surrogacy framework into a heavily regulated exception, rather than a meaningful family-building option. Our families deserve dignity, security, and equal protection under the law, not more barriers and bias. Sponsors are Rep. Miller and Sen. Grall. 

OPPOSE HB 993/SB 1044: The Barriers to IVF & Fertility Services bill creates new, unnecessary obstacles to IVF and fertility treatment by forcing families to navigate politically-motivated and intrusive requirements under the guise of “informed consent.” At a time when more families rely on assisted reproduction to build their futures, Florida should be expanding access instead of creating new roadblocks that would delay care, increase costs, and provide fewer options for hopeful parents, including LGBTQ+ families. Sponsors are Rep. Persons-Mulicka and Sen. Grall. 

SUPPORT HB 1223/SB 764: The HIV Modernization Act would bring Florida’s outdated HIV laws, which were adopted at the height of the epidemic, into alignment with decades of advances in HIV prevention and treatment science, ensuring HIV is treated like other STIs under state law and reducing criminal penalties for people living with HIV. Laws that criminalize living with HIV discourage testing, increase stigma, and contribute to the spread of HIV.  The sponsors are Rep. Young, Sen. Jones, and Sen. Rodriguez.

SUPPORT HB 681/SB 782: The Healthcare Freedom Act restores Floridians’ fundamental freedoms to make their own personal healthcare decisions without political interference. This bill would repeal DeSantis’ unconstitutional 6-week abortion ban, remove barriers to life-saving healthcare for transgender youth and adults, and restore parents’ rights to make decisions about essential care for their transgender children. It would repeal the “License to Discriminate in Healthcare” that broadly allows healthcare providers and insurers to refuse service due to religious, ethical, or moral preferences, and the requirement for hospitals to question patients about their immigration status. Sponsors are Rep. Eskamani and Sen. Jones.

FIGHTING ATTACKS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Across Florida, coordinated attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion are being used to roll back decades of progress toward fairness and representation. These efforts aim to erase policies that help ensure equal opportunity in education, employment, government participation, and public life. Attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion harm everyone by undermining efforts to create inclusive institutions that reflect the communities they serve. Equality Florida opposes legislation that seeks to silence conversations about inequality, dismantle inclusion efforts, or limit participation by women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other historically excluded groups. A fair Florida is one where opportunity is not restricted by race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

OPPOSE HB 1001/SB 1134: The Anti-Diversity in Local Government bill is a state sledgehammer to stop cities and counties from any action that recognizes and responds to differences based on race, sex, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, with limited exceptions. It would repeal any such existing programs, ban funding such programs, and threaten city and county officials with removal from office for anything vaguely labeled “diversity, equity, or inclusion.” It would effectively ban local governments from a range of actions like hosting or supporting Prides, offering LGBTQ+ cultural competency training, or recognizing Black History Month. Sponsors are Rep. Black and Sen. Yarborough. 

OPPOSE HB 1329/SB 1566: The Penalizing Local Diversity and Inclusion Spending bill is state overreach that fines local government for funding programs and services addressing diverse communities’ needs by differentiating based on race, color, sex, or ethnicity, as well as any programs or services advancing “social justice” or addressing implicit bias or antiracism. It extends even beyond the Anti-Diversity in Local Government bill, threatening nondiscrimination ordinances and specialized community health programs. Sponsors are Rep. Benarroch and Sen. DiCeglie. 

OPPOSE HB 6013/SB 1114: The Repealing Minority Representation bill would strike from Florida law the existing legislative intent that appointed boards, commissions, and councils should reflect that diversity of the state’s population and its commitment to including people with physical disabilities. Sponsors are Rep. Miller and Sen. Grall. 

OPPOSE HB 1189/SB 1662: The Anti-Diversity in State Contracting and Hiring bills repeal a wide swath of existing provisions for minority inclusion and representation across statutes. Most tellingly, they would strike existing statutory language that notes “evidence of a systemic pattern of past and continuing racial discrimination against minority business enterprises” in state contracts and that “it is determined to be a compelling state interest to rectify such discrimination and disparity.” Sponsors are Rep. Sapp and Sen. McClain. 

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY 

A healthy democracy is essential to achieving equality and lasting change. Equality Florida’s theory of change is grounded in the belief that when people are free to learn, speak, organize, and participate in civic life, hearts and minds can change, and laws can follow. Efforts to censor ideas, restrict voting access, weaken public accountability, and consolidate government power threaten the democratic process and undermine the ability of communities to shape their own futures. Equality Florida supports policies that protect free expression, safeguard the right to vote, and ensure government transparency and accountability, and will continue to fight for a democracy that is open, inclusive, and respectful of the rights and dignity of all people.

OPPOSE HB 1471/SB 1632: The Outlawing Activism bill is an outrageous escalation of state terror for disagreeing with the government. It creates a vague, new designation of “domestic terrorist organization” for organizations engaging in allegedly dangerous activities intended to “coerce” the public or influence government policy “by intimation or coercion.” Felony penalties apply for donating to, advising, or volunteering with an organization that one knows is a domestic terrorist organization or engages in such activity would constitute a felony, and for becoming a member of such organization with intent to further its allegedly illegal activity. Sponsors are Rep. Cassel and Sen. Grall. 

OPPOSE HB 991/SB 1334: The onerous new proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration and verification in the New Barriers to Voting bills are rooted in a false narrative about voter fraud and introduce an expensive and burdensome new requirement that will lead to more eligible voters being denied the opportunity to cast their ballot. These pose particular risk for voters who have changed their names for marriage or other reasons, whose legal name no longer matches proof of citizenship documents like a birth certificate, or don’t have a Florida driver’s license or state ID. Sponsors are Rep. Persons-Mulicka, Rep. Trabulsy, and Sen. Grall. 

SUPPORT HB 1419/SB 1598: The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act strengthens voting rights in Florida by restoring key federal protections that have been weakened in recent years by the Supreme Court. It expands access to the ballot by allowing eligible Floridians to register to vote at any time, including on Election Day, and automatically registers eligible voters unless they choose to opt out. The bill also repeals recent state laws that intentionally created barriers to voting, ensuring that every eligible Floridian has the opportunity to participate in our democracy. Sponsors are Rep. Young and Sen. Bracy-Davis.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

True equality requires a justice system that protects LGBTQ+ people instead of excusing violence against us. For too long, gaps in Florida law have allowed bias-motivated crimes to go unrecognized and perpetrators to evade accountability. Criminal justice reform means ensuring that hate crimes are fully acknowledged, that prejudice is never used as a legal excuse for violence, and that every person, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is treated with dignity under the law. These reforms are essential to safety, accountability, and equal justice for all Floridians.

SUPPORT HB 1117/SB 1388: The Hate Crimes Law Expansion strengthens Florida’s hate crimes laws by ensuring crimes motivated by gender, gender identity, and certain disabilities are fully recognized and treated as hate crimes. Transgender women of color face disproportionate levels of violence and deserve the full protection of the law. This legislation sends the clear message that violence rooted in hate has no place in Florida. Sponsors are Rep. Rosenwald and Sen. Smith.

SUPPORT HB 317/SB 336: The so-called “panic defense” allows defendants to blame LGBTQ+ victims for the violence committed against them by claiming fear of the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Eliminate Gay & Trans Panic Legal Defense bill would close this legal loophole and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions. Florida should join the 19 states and Washington, D.C. that have already banned this discriminatory and dangerous defense. Sponsors are Rep. Harris and Sen. Smith.

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION 

Gun violence prevention is a critical part of the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and public safety. The Pulse Nightclub tragedy remains a devastating reminder of how hate and easy access to lethal weapons can combine with tragic consequences for our community. Gun violence disproportionately harms marginalized communities, particularly transgender women of color. Advancing commonsense gun safety policies is essential to protecting lives, honoring those we’ve lost, and ensuring that LGBTQ+ people can live openly and safely in every community across Florida. 

OPPOSE HB 133: Florida raised the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21 after the 2018 Parkland tragedy, as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Firearms Safety Act. The Lowering the Purchasing Age bill rolls back that promise, allowing 18-year-olds to buy and carry guns. Weakening this life-saving law dishonors the victims of Parkland and ignores the clear link between access to firearms and gun safety. Floridians were promised safer communities, but this bill moves us backward. Sponsor is Rep. Sirois. 

OPPOSE HB 6021: Bump stocks turn semi-automatic rifles into weapons capable of mass tragedy. Florida banned them after they were used in devastating mass shootings nationwide, but the Bump Stock Repeal bill would relegalize these deadly devices, increasing the risk of mass casualty events and fueling the gun violence epidemic. Sponsor is Rep. Overdorf 

SUPPORT SB 346: Weapons designed for the battlefield do not belong in our communities. Military-style assault weapons have been used in some of the deadliest shootings in our nation’s history, including at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. The Ban on Military Assault Weapons is commonsense legislation that protects lives, enhances public safety, and keeps schools, nightclubs, and neighborhoods from becoming war zones. Sponsor is Sen. Smith.

SUPPORT HB 321/SB 406: The Closing the Long-Gun Loophole bill fixes a dangerous gap in Florida law created by a recent court ruling, making clear that all firearms–including rifles, shotguns, and AR-style weapons–are prohibited in sensitive locations where concealed handguns have long been restricted. It restores commonsense protections for places like courthouses, police stations, prisons, and meetings of the Legislature or school boards, ensuring that no weapons are allowed in these spaces unless specifically authorized by law. Sponsors are Rep. Hunschofsky and Sen. Polsky.