The Anti-Sex Education bill (HB 545) by Rep. Linda Chaney (R-St. Pete Beach) has been put on the agenda for the House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee for this Wednesday, March 10th, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
This is the FIRST committee stop for the Anti-Sex Education bill in the House. The committee has proposed a substitute bill that waters down the original bill to require parental consent for sex education, which is still harmful.
Let’s flood calls into these targeted members offices from now through Wednesday.
Suggested script: “I am ______ calling to urge a “No” vote on HB 545 in the Secondary Ed Subcommittee meeting. Students need access to critical health education, including sex ed. They don’t need unnecessary barriers. Please oppose HB 545.”
- Chair McClain (R-23): (850) 717-5023
- Vice Chair Shoaf (R-7): (850) 717-5007
- Bush III (D-109): (850) 717-5109
- Andrade (R-2): (850) 717-5002
- Borrero (R-105): (850) 717-5105
- Fischer (R-16): (850) 717-5016
- Giallombardo (R-77): (850) 717-5077
- Harding (R-22): (850) 717-5022
- Maggard (R-28): (850) 717-5038
- Maney (R-4): (850) 717-5004
- Omphroy (D-95): (850) 717-5095
- Rizo (R-110): (850) 717-5110
- Tuck (R-55): (850) 717-5055
- Yarborough (R-12): (850) 717-5012
Florida school districts already require a parent notification letter to be sent (called opt out). An opt out policy ensures that most students receive the sexuality education currently offered and are not prevented from attending due to letters never arriving home or mistakenly not being sent back in.
A bill to instead require that parents opt in has been filed by Rep. Linda Chaney (D-St. Pete Beach). If Rep. Chaney has her way students would have to obtain their parent’s written permission before they can partake in any sex ed curriculum. Research clearly shows that policies like HB 545 stigmatize and limit access to sex education and do not keep young people safe.
Providing young people with the skills and tools to make healthy decisions about sex and relationships is far more effective than denying them information.