Governor DeSantis vetoed HB 1 on Friday. The legislation prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from having accounts on social media platforms that meet certain criteria, including the use of addictive technologies. The bill also requires pornography websites to conduct age verification to ensure that users are at least 18 years old.
On Friday, the Florida House passed HB 1639 (Bankson) by a vote of 75-33. The bill requires that any health insurance policy that provides coverage for sex-reassignment related services also provides coverage for those seeking de-transition treatment.
On Thursday, FCCB expressed support for HB 1639 (Bankson) which was approved by the Infrastructure Strategies Committee by a 15-9 vote. The bill requires that any health insurance policy that provides coverage for sex-reassignment related services also provides coverage for those seeking de-transition treatment.
On Thursday, HB 1 (Sirois) received final passage by a 108-7 vote in the Florida House. The legislation prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from having accounts on social media platforms that meet certain criteria, including the use of addictive technologies. The bill was previously amended to include the substance of HB 3, a bill supported by the FCCB that requires pornography websites to conduct age verification to ensure that users are at least 18 years old.
SB 476 (Grall) was approved by the Senate Fiscal Policy committee on Thursday by a 10-6 vote. FCCB indicated its support for the bill, which would allow parents to file a lawsuit under Florida's wrongful death statute with the purpose of recovering damages for the wrongful death of their unborn child
On Tuesday, FCCB indicated support for SB 1442 (Grall) before the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services. SB 1442 would establish the Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program within the Department of Children and Families.
On Thursday, HB 415 (Jacques) received final passage in the Florida House by an 83-33 vote. "This bill will go a long way towards providing key resources to pregnant women, expecting parents, fathers...to make sure that pregnancy is never a burden here in the State of Florida," said House sponsor Representative Berny Jacques.
On Thursday, the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee approved (12-5) an amendment that combines HB 1 and HB 3. HB 1 prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from having social media accounts on platforms that use addictive technologies.
Healthy pregnancies along with positive maternal and infant health outcomes are foundational to strong families and communities and an important marker of the overall well-being of a society. Florida’s expectant mothers are not exempt from the nation's affordable housing crisis.
On Tuesday, the Senate Health Policy Committee debated SB 436 by Senator Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce), which requires the state to hire a third party vendor to create and maintain a website where pregnant women and families can find vital, up-to-date information and support throughout their pregnancy and parenting journeys. The site will offer access to maternal health services, including information on prenatal care, child development, and parenting techniques.
HB 3 by Representative Chase Tramont (R-Port Orange) aims to protect children under 18 from online access to harmful content, such as pornography. The bill requires websites and applications that publish a substantial amount of materials harmful to minors to contract with a third party to verify that the age of a person attempting to access the material is 18 years or older.
HB 1639 by Representative Douglas Bankson (R-Apopka) requires that any health insurance policy that provides coverage for sex-reassignment related services also provides coverage for those seeking de-transition treatment. Additionally, the bill requires that if insurance companies offer policies including coverage for sex-reassignment procedures or prescriptions, they also offer the option of a policy that does not cover those services.
The Florida House voted on SB 254 on Wednesday, legislation that would prohibit physicians from performing gender transition procedures on minors, require written consent to be obtained before such procedures could be performed on adults and require that a physician's license be revoked if he or she violates any sections of the bill.
On Wednesday, legislation that would prohibit children from being admitted to an obscene adult performance received final passage. The House approved SB 1438 (Yarborough) by a 82-32 vote. The bill contains provisions to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging or public food service establishment that knowingly admits a child to an adult live performance.
Michael Barrett, associate for education, testified in support of HB 1421 (Fine) before the House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. "We deeply sympathize with anyone who experiences gender dysphoria and recognize that it can be intensely difficult," said Barrett. "Therefore, it is important to recognize that so-called gender-affirming protocols lack long-term evidence of their efficacy and result in irreversible physical damage to the patient."
SB 254 (Yarborough) and HB 1421 (Fine) would prohibit physicians from performing gender transition procedures on minors and require physicians to obtain informed written consent before performing such procedures on adults.
On April 22, HB 241 (Grall) achieved final passage in the Senate (24-15). The bill was passed earlier this month by the House (78-37) and will go to the governor for his signature. This FCCB supported measure ensures that the right of parents to review instructional materials and curriculum is clearly communicated. It also establishes parental consent requirements for medical care provided to a minor child. Having access to information about their rights allows parents to make informed decisions and better direct their child's education and health care. In the Senate, HB 241 was substituted for its companion bill, SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.).
On April 14, HB 1475 (Tuck) passed the full House (77-40). The measure protects the rights of female athletes and promotes equality in women's sports by recognizing key biological differences between men and women and requiring separate sex-specific athletic teams. Laws and policies that affirm gender identities not aligned with biological sex often overlook the potential for serious, and often irreversible, physical harm to gender dysphoric individuals, especially minors, who attempt to "transition." In a letter to Rep. Tuck, the FCCB outlined its support for HB 1475. The Senate companion, SB 2012 (Stargel), includes an exception for "persons who transition from male to female" if they meet certain conditions, such as specified testosterone levels. SB 2012 was temporarily postponed this week by the Senate Rules Committee but is scheduled for a hearing on April 20.
On April 6, HB 1475 (Tuck) passed its final committee, Education & Employment (15-6), and has been placed on the House Special Order Calendar for April 13. The measure protects the rights of female athletes and promotes equality in women's sports by recognizing key biological differences between men and women and requiring separate sex-specific athletic teams. Laws and policies that affirm gender identities not aligned with biological sex often overlook the potential for serious, and often irreversible, physical harm to gender dysphoric individuals, especially minors. In a letter to Rep. Tuck, the FCCB outlined its support for HB 1475. The Senate companion, SB 2012 (Stargel), includes an exception for "persons who transition from male to female" if they meet certain conditions, such as specified testosterone levels. SB 2012 has been passed by its first two committees of reference and is now in the Senate Rules Committee.
SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.) passed its final committee, Rules (11-6), and has been placed on the Senate calendar on second reading. The bill ensures that the right of parents to review instructional materials and curriculum is transparent and forthcoming. It also establishes parental consent requirements for medical care provided to a minor child. Having access to information about their rights allows parents to make informed decisions and better direct their child's education and health care. Companion, HB 241 (Grall), was passed by the full House (78-37) April 1 and has been referred to Senate Rules. FCCB support for the bill is highlighted in a letter to Rep. Grall.