JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The discussion continued Wednesday about increased penalties for hate speech and displays in Jacksonville.
The bill, proposed by Jacksonville City Councilman Jimmy Peluso, hit its latest roadblock as it was voted down 4-3 in the city's rules committee.
Council members in favor of the bill said it holds people accountable, while those against it say local hate speech and messaging can already be prosecuted.
“This is doing something," Peluso said about the bill.
Peluso said his anti-hate bill adds penalties to existing laws in which hate speech and messages are said or projected.
For example, in early 2023, anti-semitic pamphlets were put on people’s lawns in Mandarin.
The violation would be littering, but Peluso said his bill would fine the offender up to $10,000 or face up to a year in jail.
He says a county judge would decide if the penalty is added.
“When someone is caught, we do have protections," said Jacksonville City Councilman Terrance Freeman.
Bill opponents, like Freeman, said the bill is redundant because these crimes can already be prosecuted at the state and federal levels.
“That bill that we're trying to push forward is really just more for show. And if we're going to do something to show solidarity as a council, then you usually do that through a resolution," he said.
Peluso says a resolution doesn’t solve anything and doesn’t bring accountability.
He cited other incidents his bill would apply to, including anti-semitic projections on downtown buildings and a business owner who recently displayed a Nazi flag outside his business.
“This was almost the bare minimum of what we could do, in terms of actually taking real action," Peluso said.
For Wells Todd of Take 'Em Down Jax, he doesn't think the ordinance solves the greater problem.
“We can't seem to be able to actually talk about what is causing these hateful acts that are being carried out," Todd said.
The anti-hate bill will head to Tuesday’s city council meeting for a final vote. It’s been voted down in two committees, leaving Peluso with little confidence the bill will pass the full council.