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In a heated State House subcommittee meeting Wednesday, a bill advanced that would put restrictions on LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, and other flags on some Florida buildings.
The bill would ban governments from flying flags representing “political viewpoints including race, sexual orientation or gender.”
The bill’s sponsor, Republican State Representative David Borrero, faced questions about the bill from Democratic Representative Lindsay Cross.
Cross: I still don’t understand how someone’s race or gender is considered political.
Borrero: I would turn to a practical application of the dictionary definition.
Cross: Would that be the same dictionary that is being banned in our public schools?
Democratic Representative Dotie Joseph voted against the bill.
“It’s repulsive, and however you want to put the window dressing or lipstick on this particular pig, it has the same impact. And it makes people less safe.”
Closing on the bill, Republican Representative Randy Fine said that flags other than the US and State flags divide us.
“This is a good bill, it’s a bill that we should’ve done in five minutes, so we can get back to the other things that we need to do, and I certainly hope that you all will support it today.”
The bill advanced 9 to 5 along party lines in the Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee.
