Lawmaker tries again to restrict flags on public buildings

After the idea did not pass during the 2024 legislative session, Sen. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, filed a bill Monday that would restrict the types of flags that can be displayed at government buildings and schools.

The bill (SB 100), filed for the 2025 session, which will start in March, would prevent displaying a flag that “represents a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint.”

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The bill does not specifically name flags that would be barred from being displayed at public buildings and schools. But Fine, who is running in a special election for a congressional seat, issued a news release that said the bill would “ban the use of fictional country flags like ‘Palestine,’ pro-violence ‘Black Lives Matter’ flags, woke and pro-grooming ideological flags, and the flags of any political candidates in government buildings.”

The proposals during the 2024 session drew heavy opposition from LGBTQ people and activists because they would have prevented the display of LGBTQ pride flags.

Fine is running in a special election to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., in Congressional District 6. Waltz is leaving Congress to become national security adviser for President-elect Donald Trump.