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Only One Week Left: Twelve Dangerous Bills in Florida You Need to Know About — and How to Fight Back

The Florida Legislative Dirty Dozen 2025

 

1. HB 1205 / SB 7016 – Attack on Florida’s Citizen Initiative Process

What it Does:

  • Slashes petition turn-in time from 30 to 10 days

  • Imposes a $1M bond on amendment sponsors

  • Requires online training for petition collectors

  • Makes violations a felony

Why It Matters:
This bill silences grassroots voices and empowers corporate and political elites, making it almost impossible for everyday Floridians to propose constitutional amendments when lawmakers won’t act.

🌟 One Bright Spot: An amendment added to prohibit state funds from being used to oppose citizen initiatives.

👉 Take Action Here

 

 

2. HB 541 / SB 676 – Loosening Minimum Wage Requirements

What it Does:

  • Allows workers to “opt out” of state minimum wage laws by signing a waiver.

Why It Matters:
This bill undermines Florida voters' decision to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2026 and opens the door to exploitation — especially of minors.

 

 

3. HB 1225 / SB 918 – Loosening Child Labor Laws

What it Does:

  • Allows minors to work overnight and more than 8 hours a day without parental consent.

Why It Matters:
This rollback of child labor protections puts young workers at risk and exposes them to exploitation in unsafe working conditions.

 

 

4. HB 1381 – Florida’s Version of the Federal SAVE Act

What it Does:

  • Requires proof of citizenship for voter registration

  • Narrows the list of acceptable voter IDs, including student IDs

  • Makes it harder to vote by mail

Why It Matters:
This bill threatens to disenfranchise countless voters, particularly students and people of color, and invites unnecessary government interference in voting rights.

👉 Take Action Here

 

 

5. HB 123 / SB 140 – Charter School Takeover Bill

What it Does:

  • Makes it easier for public schools to convert into charter schools.

  • Forces districts to sell unused public property to charter schools.

Why It Matters:
This bill shifts taxpayer dollars to charter schools with less oversight, weakens local control, and undermines community schools.

 

 

6. HB 651 / SB 700 – Fluoride Ban & Anti-Science Farm Bill

What it Does:

  • Bans fluoride in public water systems.

Why It Matters:
Fluoride is a proven and cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay, especially in underserved communities. This bill ignores scientific consensus and endangers public health.

 

 

7. HB 1505 / SB 1288 – Bans Teen Access to Birth Control Without Parental Consent

What it Does:

  • Blocks teens from accessing contraception and STI care without parental consent.

Why It Matters:
This bill harms vulnerable youth, especially those in unsafe home environments, and increases the risk of unintended pregnancies and untreated STIs.

👉 Take Action Here

 

 

8. HB 1517 / SB 1284 – Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of a Fetus

What it Does:

  • Creates a legal framework for civil action for fetal death, pushing personhood language further.

Why It Matters:
This bill jeopardizes reproductive rights and could lead to even more restrictions on access to abortion and related health care.

👉 Take Action Here

 

 

9. HB 1539 / SB 1692 – Expanding Book Bans and Curriculum Censorship

What it Does:

  • Expands the government’s ability to ban books and censor educational materials.

Why It Matters:
This bill fuels anti-LGBTQ+ censorship and limits access to a wide range of educational resources that support inclusive, accurate learning.

👉 Take Action Here

👉 Take Action Here

 

 

10. HB 1157 / SB 1238 – Tougher Unemployment Eligibility

What it Does:

  • Raises the bar for eligibility for reemployment assistance.

Why It Matters:
This bill makes it harder for Floridians who are struggling to get the support they need during tough times.

 

 

11. HB 173 / SB 498 – Undermining Legal Aid

What it Does:

  • Erodes funding for legal aid services.

Why It Matters:
This bill makes it harder for low-income Floridians to get the legal help they need, effectively denying them access to justice.

 

 

12. HB 1255 / SB 1618 – Defunding DEI in Public Education

What it Does:

  • Blocks public education spending on programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Why It Matters:
This bill targets critical efforts to create a more inclusive and just educational system, making it harder for schools to address issues of race, gender, and history.

 

 

 

Legislative Resources & Engagement Guide

 

Find Your Office Holders and their contact info here:

Live in Duval? Find your lawmakers here!

Live in St Johns? Find your lawmakers here!

Simply enter your first name, last name DoB, click submit and then scroll down a little and click on "View Office Holders" to view all your elected officials and their contact info. 

 

Sample Letters to Your Legislators

 

Letter in Opposition to a Bill

Subject: Opposition to [Bill Name/Number]

Dear [Legislator’s Name],

I am writing to voice my opposition to [Bill Name/Number], which proposes [briefly describe the bill’s purpose]. I am concerned that this legislation will negatively impact [explain the specific consequences].

As your constituent, I urge you to vote against this bill. I hope you will consider the concerns of your voters and prioritize policies that benefit our community. Please let me know your stance on this issue, as it will influence my engagement in the upcoming elections.

Thank you for your time and service to our community.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]

 

 

Letter in Support of a Bill

Subject: Support for [Bill Name/Number]

Dear [Legislator’s Name],

I am writing to express my strong support for [Bill Name/Number], which addresses [briefly describe the bill’s purpose]. This legislation is important because [explain why it matters to you and your community].

As your constituent, I urge you to vote in favor of this bill and advocate for its passage. Please let me know your stance on this issue, as it will influence my engagement in the upcoming elections.

I appreciate your time and attention to this critical issue.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[Your Email]

 

Track Legislation:

 

Engagement:

  • Contact Legislators: Use a simple, clear message (see sample letters below).

  • Attend Legislative Sessions: Participate in person to show your support or opposition.

  • Meet with Legislators: Schedule meetings in Tallahassee or locally.

  • Join Advocacy Groups:

    • Equality Florida and Moms Demand Action organize trips to Tallahassee to advocate for key issues and do a great job if you are new to the process.

  • Find webinars and ways to help out in person in your area: mobilize.us

  • Collect signed petitions for the Medicaid ballot initiative: floridadecideshealthcare.org/

 

Spread the Word:

  • Share information with your community and encourage others to take action.

  • Use social media, community meetings, and word-of-mouth to raise awareness.

Legislation Tracking News Sources:

  • Online News for Florida Politics:

  • Sign up for Advocacy Group Email Newsletters:

    • Moms Demand Action

    • Jacksonville NOW

    • Beaches Activist Movement

    • Equality Florida

    • Democratic Women’s Club of FL

    • Anna Eskamani

    • Many others!

 

 

 

 

Hope Florida: The DeSantis Charity Racket, Funded by You

How We Got Ripped Off Again by Our Own Governor

Commentary by Anne Tressler

Here we go again. Ron DeSantis—Florida’s grifter-in-chief—is back to doing what he does best: steal from the public, slap a “family values” sticker on it, and dare us to call it what it is. While he should be leading, he’s too busy cooking up his next excuse—his next gaslight. Instead of governing, he’s looting and spinning lies with a smile, conning the public while calling it compassion. Now he’s selling “hope” while pocketing Medicaid money and pretending it’s some moral victory. It’s not. It’s theft in broad daylight, and we’re supposed to thank him for it? Spare us.

Ron and Casey DeSantis took $10 million that was supposed to help Florida’s sick and struggling—money from a Medicaid fraud settlement—and handed it over to Hope Florida, a PR stunt dressed up as charity, run by Casey herself.

This wasn’t extra money lying around. It came from a $67 million Medicaid settlement after Centene overbilled the state. That money should’ve gone straight back to Medicaid. Instead, they rerouted $10 million to Casey’s foundation. And then? $8.5 million of it ended up in political committees backing Ron. Medicaid money, turned into campaign cash.  They didn’t mismanage it. They engineered it—straight-up looting public funds to boost their brand.

Launched by Casey DeSantis in 2021, Hope Florida claims to help Floridians become more self-sufficient by connecting them with community resources like faith-based groups, nonprofits, and state services. Through so-called “Hope Navigators,” it targets groups like single parents, foster youth, veterans, and people with disabilities. Sounds noble—until you follow the money.

According to a draft IRS Form 990, the foundation claimed only $40,000 in charitable disbursements during its first reported year, despite receiving hundreds of thousands in donations from major companies like Centene, Tampa Electric, and others. (Tampa Bay Times, April 19, 2025)

Worse yet? That report didn’t even include the $10 million donation from Centene received in October 2024. (Politico, April 9, 2025)

So while they handed out next to nothing in actual support, they were sitting on a pile of Medicaid settlement money. Money that, as we now know, largely ended up in political accounts tied to Ron’s allies.

DeSantis used $615,000 of our tax dollars to fly 49 migrants from Texas—not Florida—to Martha’s Vineyard in a staged political stunt. That was just one slice of a $12 million fund set aside for more of these headline-grabbing schemes. After public backlash? He asked for $10 million more to keep it going. This wasn’t policy—it was theater.

At the same time, he was crisscrossing the country chasing the presidency on our dime. $8.8 million in taxpayer money for travel and security in one year. Over $13 million across two years—all so he could shake hands in Iowa and fail embarrassingly on the national stage. Then he passed a law to hide where he went. We paid the bill, and now we can’t even ask where it went.

And when people asked why Casey’s “charity” got $10 million meant for Medicaid? They called it a “blessing.”

No, Ron. That was public money. You gave it to your wife. Then it ended up with political operatives. That’s not a blessing, that’s a scam.

Floridians aren’t getting hope. We’re getting robbed. Lied to. And above all—gaslit. Stop the gaslighting. We see exactly what you’re doing, even your fellow Republicans are getting tired of you political ambitions. While the first couple of Florida smile for the cameras and sell us a fairy tale, the rest of us are left footing the bill.

This isn’t leadership. This is greed with a grin.

Hope Florida isn’t hope—it’s a heist. And we’re done paying for it.

If this infuriates you, don’t sit quietly. Share this. Talk to your neighbors. Demand answers from your representatives. Call your state legislators and ask what they’re doing to hold the DeSantises accountable. We deserve better—and we have to fight for it.

Make your voice heard. Enough is enough.

Read Anne's full body of work here: Anne Tressler Substack

 

Paid for by Rachel Grage
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