Randy Fine eyes end to ‘political’ flags in government buildings

If a Senator from Brevard County has his way, various controversial banners won’t be flown in public buildings for much longer.

Sen. Randy Fine filed legislation (SB 100) taking aim at what a media release calls “fictional country flags like ‘Palestine,’ pro-violence ‘Black Lives Matter’ flags, woke and pro-grooming ideological flags, and the flags of any political candidates in government buildings.”

If the bill seems familiar, it’s because Fine carried it in the House last year. Now, he’s running it back in the Senate.

“Supporters of Muslim terror, child mutilators, and groomers have no right to taxpayer sponsorship of their repugnant messages,” said Fine, the current front-runner in April’s Special Election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.

“As I prepare to leave the Senate, I look forward to ensuring the only official place in a government building that you will find their flags is in a garbage can.”

The bill stipulates that a “governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represents a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint. The governmental entity must remain neutral when representing political viewpoints in displaying or erecting a flag.”

While units of government are prohibited from demonstrating viewpoint bias by this legislation, the measure expressly does not block a private individual from exercising First Amendment rights to free speech.

“The first flag that should be flown in a government building is the American flag,” Fine said. “Flags that promote Muslim terror or the mutilation of children have no place in taxpayer-funded buildings — whether that government building is our state capital or a public school classroom.”

If the bill passes the Senate and House and is signed, it would take effect on July 1.