A.G. Gancarski
New legislation from Jacksonville Republicans looks to deep-six local diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
SB 420 and HB 1571 aim to block local governments from passing DEI initiatives and to make ones already in law illegal. The bills also create a cause of action for citizens to civil suits against local government in the event they feel discriminated against by DEI laws.
City or county officials voting for these initiatives could be removed by the Governor if one of these bills becomes law.
“As a former local elected official, I know local governments should focus all efforts and budget priorities on core, essential services for constituents. These services include law enforcement and public safety, public works and parks, economic development, and the like; not ideological agendas that government should not be imposing upon its people,” said Senate sponsor Clay Yarborough, who was unanimously elected as President of the Jacksonville City Council back in 2014.
House sponsor Dean Black, a former chair of the Duval County Republican Party, says the bill will “once and for all Destroy Ideological Extremism in local government … and ensure that Florida is where D. E. I. goes to D. I. E. !”
If passed into law, these bills would take effect in July. They don’t contemplate any grandfathering period for DEI laws on the book, and they don’t address whether people who voted for the legislation previously would be subject to removal. However, the retroactivity provision of the current bill language leaves that as a possibility.
7 comments
PeterH
March 1, 2025 at 11:22 am
Republicans have a diversity and inclusion hangover. It’s their latest tool to distract and discriminate.
Oscar
March 1, 2025 at 2:28 pm
You do realized that distract, discriminate and disinform is the very definition of DEI…..
Oscar
March 1, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Peter Schorsch – Do you only censor posts that you disagree with?
SuzyQ
March 2, 2025 at 1:26 am
DEI = discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination. “Florida is where D.E.I. goes to D.I.E.” I’m lovin’ it.
Ex-Republican
March 2, 2025 at 8:48 am
The best these two empty suits can come up with is yet one more stupid, senseless, selfish, anti-woman and anti-minority piece of bullshit. Nothing about health care. Nothing about insurance rates. Just bug-eyed, race-baiting bullshit.
Oscar
March 10, 2025 at 9:16 pm
By definition, “equity” means rewarding those that contribute less at the expense of those that contribute more, a direct consequence of which is less for all.
JD
March 10, 2025 at 10:01 pm
Shut up “Billy”
Comments are closed.