Tallahassee Lobby Day
On the 31st of January, we traveled to Tallahassee to meet with lawmakers and testify against a series of anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Departing late the previous night, we made several stops across South Florida to pick up participants before arriving early Wednesday morning.
After a brief breakfast and training session, our delegation headed to the Capitol to meet with various elected officials, including Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, Rep. Marie Paul Woodson, Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, and Rep. Robin Bartleman. During these meetings, the delegation discussed several pieces of legislation, including the "Trans Erasure Bill (HB 1639)", "Bans on Pride Flags Bill (HB 901/SB 470)", and the "Abortion Ban from the Moment of Fertilization (SB 1519)".
Knowing that HB 1639 (Trans Erasure Bill) was going to be heard in committee the following day, SAVE's strategy was to break into small groups and reach every member of the committee to speak with them in advance of the hearing. We were able to speak with every member of the committee and/or their staff - sometimes just by encountering them in the hallway or an elevator. The teams also raised concerns about other problematic bills, including HJR 335, HB 1027/SB 1728, and SB 1752.
We are grateful to all the representatives who took the time from their busy agenda to meet with us. We also want to extend a special thanks to Jon Harris Maurer of Equality Florida for his assistance in preparing us for the meetings. We remain committed to fighting against discriminatory legislation and advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. Join us at www.save.lgbt/actions
