Florida bill blocking city and county ‘DEI’ activities is ready for DeSantis

A bill that would prevent local governments from engaging in “diversity, equity, and inclusion” activities is ready for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature.

The Florida House and Senate approved the legislation despite concerns raised by city and county leaders that it could prevent innocuous activities like parades, hurt tourism and keep local officials from enacting voters’ wishes.

“It’s also clear these bills are written with the belief that locally elected leaders … cannot be trusted to govern within the communities that elected them,” St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said last week.

“St. Pete believes in inclusive progress and a city that works for everyone,” he said.

The bill is one of the few this session that DeSantis has come out in support of.

The sponsor of the bill in the Senate, Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough, has said he believes diversity, equity and inclusion are positive concepts. But he said the “DEI effort” has caused wasteful taxpayer spending on inappropriate ideas.

“I’m not trying to pick on anybody; I’m trying to cure wrongs,” Yarborough said.

The bill defines “diversity, equity and inclusion” as any attempt to give preferential treatment to or the implementation of any activity designed with reference to a particular race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Under the bill, a local government wouldn’t be able to fund or promote such activities.

Local lawmakers have raised concerns that the language would stop cities and counties from supporting things like cultural food festivals, professional mentorship based on gender or race, targeted advisory boards and parades.

The law has several carve-outs for activities that it said would still be appropriate, such as celebrating federal and state holidays and special observances, supporting public health outreach focused on specific race, gender or ethnic groups, and providing fire and safety services for publicly permitted events, like pride festivals.

During a marathon session of questions, Florida senators asked about a litany of specific events held in their counties. Yarborough told the senators that many would still be permitted.

But Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said that Yarborough’s answers had “some really obvious omissions” and that LGBTQ+ support seemed prohibited.

“Folks, this feels targeted, I’m sorry,” said Smith, who is a gay man. “I thought we were better than this.”

Yarborough, during his closing debate, said that “it’s not true to suggest a community is singled out.” He said — while getting choked up — that if the bill were targeted, language he added in to ensure the city of Orlando could continue to support the Pulse Memorial wouldn’t be in there.

City and county officials who violate the law could face removal from office. The governments could also face lawsuits from any resident.

Miami Beach lawmakers last month sent a letter to DeSantis saying the legislation was “overly broad” and could “expose cities and counties to frivolous and costly litigation.”

Those lawmakers added that those costs would “pale in comparison” to the risk of losing large-scale events in Florida, which draw in tourists and revenue.

Along with officials from Miami Beach and St. Petersburg, elected officials from Miami-Dade County, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee and Fernandina Beach have also raised concerns.

In St. Petersburg, Welch tried to get City Council members to sign a last-minute letter his office penned without their input denouncing the legislation, but no council member joined. Some instead said they would issue their own statements and didn’t have enough time to review Welch’s language.

When the Herald/Times asked St. Petersburg officials in February about the impact of the bill — which could prohibit any local government from having a DEI office or a dedicated diversity, equity and inclusion officer — they said the city feels protected.

Last year, St. Petersburg’s chief equity officer suggested renaming his office; the former Office of Equity is now called the Office of Community Impact. Another St. Petersburg office focused on helping minority-owned businesses compete for city contracts also underwent a name change.

But in a committee meeting on the bill this year, House bill sponsor Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, said name changes don’t automatically mean a city is covered.

“This bill really looks at behavior,” Black said. “The behavior of DEI and administering DEI, as defined in the statute. If you’re doing that regardless of what your title is, then you would be afoul of the statute.”

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Colleen Wright contributed to this report.