Top Line
A Florida Republican lawmaker who filed legislation Tuesday to exempt the Confederate flag from a broad ban on flags flown outside state government buildings — which includes Pride flags — a spokeswoman claimed Wednesday in the filing ” was done by mistake”.
An American and a Confederate flag are seen during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke , [+]
important facts
State Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) filed an amendment to a flag ban bill Tuesday, listing the Confederate flag among 12 types of flags that would still be allowed to fly outside state buildings—a List that also includes the US flag, state flags, and flags for counties and municipalities.
a Florida Senate employee Analysis A bill released later in the day found that the amendment may be unconstitutional, as banning flags may be “determined to limit speech” and the amendment was later withdrawn.
Collins spokesman Ted Weirman Said The amendment was pulled “to ensure the wording of our bill is consistent with the state constitution,” in a statement Wednesday.
important quotes
Veeraman said, "Any insinuation that Jai is a Sanghi sympathizer is preposterous."
main background
The law did not explicitly identify pride flags as the reason behind the proposed ban, but LGBTQ activists Tell Following a series of controversial incidents involving pride flags last year, this was the primary driver. Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger refused to raise rainbow flags for Pride Month in June, claiming that groups such as Satanists and Nazis would then demand that their flags also be flown on government buildings. In December, the Miami-Dade County School Board banned the "display of flags promoting a political issue" in Sarasota County after a teacher was allegedly asked to take down her classroom's rainbow-colored "COEXIST" flag. Considered a new policy to impose. political message. Civil rights groups such as the Anti-Defamation League have identified Confederate flags as symbols of hate, which white supremacist groups are often associated with. The battle of the culture wars has been front and center in Florida's Republican-led legislative session, where bills to expand the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law and legalize the carrying of concealed firearms without a permit have been passed. have also been filed. ,
what to watch
The legislative session is underway from May 5.
Florida GOP proposal would ban the Pride flag — but let the Confederate flag fly over state buildings (Forbes)
Florida Gov. DeSantis signs 'Don't Say Gay' bill despite controversy (Forbes)
Credit: www.forbes.com /