TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Two Jacksonville lawmakers are wading into gender and teaching about the origins of slavery with bills filed in the Florida Legislature this week.
Rep. Dean Black (R-Jacksonville) filed House Bill 1233, the "What is a Woman Act," aiming define what a “man” and “woman” is in Florida statutes. The proposed legislation would also alter existing laws governing health insurance companies and require de-transition surgery coverage if sexual reassignment surgery is also covered.
The bill says that a driver’s license or identification card must reflect the same sex as the person’s sex at birth and anyone falsifying an application will automatically have their driver’s license or identification card revoked. All references to “gender” will also be replaced with “sex” in the statute.
It also addresses health insurance policies that cover sex-reassignment surgery, stating those policies must charge an additional amount and require the insurance companies to offer less expensive policies that do not cover the surgery.
"Indeed, this bill only serves to codify that which is already indisputable, but has sadly been weaponized by a radical political movement intent on rewriting the laws of nature to fit their own twisted agenda," Black said in a press release. "And so now, with the filing of this bill we have answered the defining question of this decade, ‘What is a woman?’”
Rep. Kiyan Michael (R-Jacksonville) filed House Bill 1139, called "Kamala Harris Truth in Slavery Teaching Act," referring to the Vice President's visit to Jacksonville where she decried the education polies of Gov. Ron DeSantis. It's filed along with Senate companion bill, SB 1192.
Michael said in a press release she wants "African American history instruction to include a comprehensive account of the sociopolitical circumstances surrounding slavery, including which political parties supported and adopted pro-slavery tenets to their party platform."
“Like most Black Americans, I was raised never knowing the truth that the Democrat Party was the party of fighting for, and keeping slavery, and the reason for the formation of the Republican Party was to abolish it," Michael said in a press release. "It is a valuable, yet hidden, piece of our American history. This bill will bring forth these truths and expose the political party’s roles regarding the heinous institution of slavery."
The bills encountered opposition from state Democrats on social media. Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said Black's bill attacked the trans people.
State Rep. Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville)) voiced opposition to Michael's bill not long after it was filed:
The first day of session is Jan. 9. Republicans have significant majorities in the Senate and House.