House passes bills requiring sex on driver’s license, repealing anti-gun emergency law, more

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida House passed several bills on Friday pertaining to the definition of “sex,” gender de-transition options, repealing an anti-gun state of emergency law and more.

HB 1639 – Gender and Biological Sex

The legislation, championed by Reps. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, and Doug Bankson, R-Apopka, defines the term “sex” and outlines the two biological genders, male and female, that the state recognizes on legal documents.

The bill will require Floridians to identify on their driver’s license by their biological sex rather than their gender.

The bill also requires health insurance providers that cover gender transition surgery to also cover de-transition surgery.

Several amendments sponsored by Democrats were introduced during the bill’s consideration on the House floor as an attempt to curb the impact of the legislation. All were voted down.

Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, argued that requiring individuals use their biological sex on legal documents forced transgender people to make an “impossible choice.”

“We are controlling who someone knows they are, who their athletic self [is], to what we want them to me,” she said.

Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg said that the chamber should feel “ashamed” that they were even considering the legislation.

Black explained that the state has to have certain physical characteristics on the IDs, otherwise the identification wouldn’t work.

In regard to the gender de-transition aspect of the bill, Bankson argued that the purpose of the legislation was not to harm individuals, but instead provide them a wholistic opportunity to be the person the want to be.

The bill passed 75-33 in the House floor.

There is no Senate companion for the Black and Bankson’s bill.

HB 1615 – Restrictions on Firearms and Ammunition During Emergencies

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, and Tommy Gregory, R-Lakewood Ranch, repeals state law which currently prohibits the sale, display or possession of any firearm and weapon during a public disorder state of local emergency.

According to the staff analysis of the bill, current law allows for municipal officials to announce a public disorder state of local emergency in situations involving overt acts of violence or imminent threats if the governor has not declared a state of emergency.

Gregory argued that the current law was unconstitutional, as a violation of the second amendment.

Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Jacksonville, expressed her concerns with the legislation, arguing that Floridians aren’t concerned about using their firearms in a local state of emergency.

“We heard, ‘oh it’s unconstitutional, unconstitutional,’ but it hasn’t been declared unconstitutional in the state of Florida,” she said.

Gantt also argued that just because other states have similar laws as to what the bill is trying to accomplish, doesn’t mean Floridians are on board with it.

Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Riverview, responded to Gantt’s claims, referencing a Pennsylvania case that showed local state emergencies barring the usage of firearms is a violation of the community’s second amendment rights.

“If you need your gun, that is ipso facto an emergency,” Beltran said. “Whether it’s a declared emergency by some government official or not, if you need your gun, that’s an emergency. Someone’s coming into the house, someone’s assaulting you, there’s a bear that’s raiding your house, whatever the case may be.”

The House passed the legislation 86-23.

There is no Senate companion legislation for the bill.

HB 1083 – Permanency for Children

Reps. Dana Trabusly, R-Fort Pierce, and Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs, sponsored the legislation with the goal of making the adoption process more efficient and less costly while reducing barriers to permanency.

Additionally, the staff analysis explains that the bill enhances protections for children from potentially unsafe placements and expands financial assistance options for children who are adopted or placed in permanent guardianships as younger teens.

One technicality amendment introduced by Trabulsy was added before the legislation was voted on.

The bill passed the House unanimously, 110-0.

Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, sponsored the Senate version of the bill, which is still awaiting approval by the upper chamber.

HB 621 – Property Rights

Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City sponsored the legislation to combat squatting at rental properties in the state.

The bill would allow law enforcement to remove squatters who can’t produce a notarized lease signed by the landowner or proof that they are paying rent for the property.

Additionally, there would be penalties for individuals who produce fraudulent leases that are commonly used by squatters.

Steele’s bill passed unanimously, 108-0.

Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, has championed the Senate version through the process and is awaiting full Senate approval for his bill, following its passage in each committee assignment.

HB 1545 – Child Exploitation Offenses

Rep. Jessica Baker’s, R-Jacksonville, bill increases the severity of sexual offenses on the state’s Offense Severity Ranking Chart.

The chart ranks offenses on a scale of 1-10 from least severe to most severe.

According to the staff analysis, the bill would increase the severity number of “using a child in or promoting a child sexual performance” from six to seven, it would increase the offense of “Possessing child pornography with the intent to promote” from a five to a seven and it would increase “possessing or intentionally viewing child pornography” from a five to a six.

Baker’s legislation passed unanimously, 112-0.

Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, sponsored the Senate companion bill, which is awaiting approval on the chamber floor.

HB 1007 – Nicotine Products and Dispensing Devices

Rep. Toby Overdorf’s, R-Palm City, bill outlines new guidelines and regulations in the nicotine and tobacco products.

The legislation defines certain terms and requires manufacturer clarification on nicotine dispensing devices.

Additionally, it directs the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to create an online directory of nicotine manufacturers that sell nicotine dispensing products.

The legislation passed 83-26 on the House floor.

Sen. Keith Perry filed the Senate version of the legislation, which awaits passage by the upper chamber.

HB 1029 – My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program

Reps. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, and Christine Hunchofsky, D-Parkland, sponsored the bill creating the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program which, similar to that of the My Safe Florida Home Florida Program, provides condominium associations the ability for participation, hurricane mitigation inspections, eligibility for mitigation grants, contract management by DFS, and required annual reports.

Jacques complimented Lopez for bringing the bill forward, explaining how many members in his district who live in condos will be “very grateful.”

Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg, said that she was happy to support the bill, but hopes future legislation could do more to address flood protection mitigation measures.

Lopez and Hunchofsky’s bill passed unanimously, 116-0.

HB 1541 – Transparency in Social Media

Rep. Randy Fine’s, R-Palm Bay, legislation requires various accountability metrics for each foreign adversary-owned entity operating a social media platform in Florida.

The requirements include publicly disclosing the core functional elements of the social media platform’s content curation and algorithms, make publicly available the source code of its algorithms through an open-source license and implement a user verification system for each user and organization that purchases advertisements.

Fine’s legislation passed unanimously, 109-0.

The Senate companion version of the bill was filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota. It is currently awaiting approval in the Senate chamber.