Tampa, Florida – The Florida Senate introduced a new bill at the beginning of this week. This bill aims to stop any government body from displaying flags that show a political point of view.
House Bill 901 covers flags that symbolize race, sexual orientation, political ideology, or political groups.
The bill says that when a government office flies a flag, it must stay “neutral” and not show a political stance.
Under this bill, “governmental entities” include agencies run by the government or local authorities. This covers public schools, colleges, and universities.
However, the bill does make exceptions. It doesn’t stop a government group from flying a flag if the law says they have to or can. For example, if someone wants to raise the American flag, it should be in the most important spot, higher than any other flag. The bill also recognizes that people have the right to their own opinions and speech, as protected by the First Amendment.
This bill is set to become active on July 1, 2024.
