TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Both of Florida’s capital city local governments have instructed their staff to bring back an analysis of their legal options to fight a new law meant to prevent local governments from funding DEI-related programs.
The Leon County Commission voted 5-1 to bring back an agenda item in June, and the Tallahassee City Commission voted 5-0 for a similar analysis from their staff. Leon County Chairman Christian Caban was the only commissioner to vote against staff bringing back an analysis. Commissioner Brian Welch was absent.
Both commissions have also mandated staff to conduct a study and provide a list of programs, procedures and regulations that would need to be changed if the law weren’t struck down.
However, neither one has agreed to file a lawsuit and both the city and county attorneys have stressed the local governments might not have standing to challenge the law in court.
Some on the city commission, such as Commissioner Diane Williams-Cox and Commissioner Curtis Richardson, suggested electing new state lawmakers to repeal SB1134 would be the better way to go.
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In an interview Thursday morning, Leon County Commissioner David O’Keefe, vice-chair of the commission, said he wasn’t concerned about being removed from office for analyzing the law because it doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2027.
Furthermore, he said the county commission should fight for its constituents, though he said it isn’t yet clear if they have the legal right to challenge the law. O’Keefe said that Leon County has challenged state laws before, perhaps most recently over regulations that prevented them from passing a local law against firing a gun in parks.
Across the street at City Hall, City Attorney Amy Toman said she would need to conduct an analysis standing, though she also said SB1134 prevented a lot of programs.
“The bill largely prohibits the city from directly or indirectly funding or promoting DEI. It declares existing DEI ordinances, regulations, resolutions, programs or policies void,” she said.
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