A proposal aimed at preventing local governments from implementing policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) was approved on Monday by the Republican-controlled Community Affairs Committee.
The measure, Senate Bill 420 (SB 420), sponsored by Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, passed with a 5-3 vote along party lines.
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The bill seeks to prohibit counties and municipalities from adopting DEI-related ordinances, resolutions, or programs. It also allows individuals to take legal action against local governments if the prohibition is violated.
“We need to focus on core essential services, maintain the roads, parks, public safety, economic development, and the like,” Yarborough stated. “But we should always place a higher emphasis on those very important efforts … and not make it limited in the other categories that are outside individual qualifications, skills, and performance.”
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, strongly opposed the measure, describing it as “authoritarianism” and arguing that it would not improve the lives of Floridians. “This is not democracy. It’s authoritarianism,” Jones said, emphasizing that the bill could hinder efforts to ensure inclusivity and equity in local governance.
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SB 420 must clear two more committees before it can be presented on the Senate floor. Meanwhile, a House version of the bill, HB 1571, has been filed by Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, but has not yet been heard in committees.
This proposal is one of several DEI-related bills being considered by Florida lawmakers this week. If enacted, the legislation could have significant implications for local employment policies and other initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion.
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