TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — A bathroom ban bill underwent an amendment softening its provisions, though it wasn’t enough to eliminate the bitter backlash seen in Tuesday’s Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy.
Filed by Sen. Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce), SB 1674 imposes a trespassing charge on adults entering the opposite sex’s bathroom and refusing to leave when asked by an authorized person – defined as a business manager or school administrator. This deviates from the House bill, which allows for any citizen to allege that a person is in the opposite restroom.
“GROWING WAVE OF TRANSGENDER TERRORISM”
“There are differences between biological men and biological women, and this bill ensures uniformity in the use of restrooms and changing facilities in specific covered entities,” Sen. Grall said, referencing the bill’s applicability to public, state-owned buildings – but not healthcare facilities or public shelters – a further divide from the House bill.
A spokesperson for the Christian Family Coalition voiced his strong support of the legislation, stating: “We thank you for standing up to the increasingly violent, disruptive, and terroristic tactics of the transgender movement,” referring to last week’s incident on the House floor, in which transgender protestors threw granny panties onto the State Reps.
“Thank you for not being intimidated by this growing wave of transgender terrorism, and doing what’s right to protect women and children,” he added.
“CONTINUING THE TRANSGENOCIDE”
Vehement opposition ensued from the bill’s critics, stating the legislation’s true purpose is to attack the trans community and get into Governor Ron DeSantis’ good graces.
“Let’s just be real,” a representative of the Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida began, “Respect your constituents enough to at least say out loud what everyone else already knows: y’all are here to play a role in Governor Ron DeSantis’ election as president, and that’s all this is. And you know what? When he gets that position, he’s going to leave you all behind just like he did the rest of the f*cking Floridians.”
Kyle Moore, a transgender critic of the bill, stated: “I am the transgender mutant and terrorist that you guys are so afraid of. What you are doing is continuing the transgenocide whether you want to admit it or not.” Moore referred to a House Rep calling the transgender community “demons, mutants, and imps” in a past committee meeting.
“You try to demonize us so it makes it easier to discriminate against us and eventually kill us.”
Despite hours of debate, the bill passed the Committee on Fiscal Policy and will now head to the Senate floor.
