Measure Protects Government Workers by Restricting Gender Identity Employment Practices

SB 1642 would prohibit public employers from requiring employees to refer to co-workers by their preferred pronouns if they do not correspond to the person’s sex at birth. “The government can’t coerce this—you can’t be forced to do something if it violates your conscience,” said bill sponsor, Senator Stan McClain (Ocala). “Employees shouldn’t be forced to choose between their conscience and their job.” The bill covers state and local governments, and contractors, and declares that “it is the policy of this state that a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.” A similar law is already in place covering workers in public schools. In addition to providing for civil remedies for anyone disciplined or fired for refusing to go along with others’ pronoun choices, the bill would make it unlawful for public employers to require training on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. 

On February 2, SB 1642 was approved by its first committee, Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability, on a 6-3 vote. The House companion, HB 641 by Rep. Rachel Plakon (Longwood), was also passed by its first committee this week, the House Government Operations Subcommittee, on a vote of 11-4.