{"id":45745,"date":"2025-11-13T22:44:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T22:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/45745\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T22:44:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T22:44:09","slug":"florida-republicans-propose-ban-on-political-flags-on-government-buildings-tallahassee-reports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/45745\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Republicans Propose Ban on Political Flags on Government Buildings \u2013 Tallahassee Reports"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Republicans are trying for the fourth year in a row to ban political flags atop government buildings, including Pride, MAGA, or Black Lives Matter banners.<\/p>\n

Filed by Republicans Rep. David Borrero and Sen. Clay Yarborough, HB 347 and SB 426 would ban flags referencing politics, race, gender, or\u00a0sexual orientation<\/a>\u00a0being flown on government-owned buildings. This is the\u00a0fourth time<\/a>\u00a0Borrero, from Miami, has carried this legislation. It\u2019s died each year before reaching either the House or Senate floor.<\/p>\n

Identical in each chamber, the language bans schools, universities, state governments, local governments, or political boards from displaying flags depicting \u201cany word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, symbol, or advertisement of any nature which represents political partisanship, political ideology, race, gender, or sexual orientation.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would preempt local ordinances allowing these flags. Out-of-compliance entities would be fined $500 per day. The penalties would be collected through the Department of State and deposited into the general revenue fund, the state\u2019s main budgetary account.<\/p>\n

Last year, the bill was filed by then-Sen. Randy Fine to specifically target\u00a0Palestinian flags<\/a>\u00a0during the Israel-Hamas war. Fine withdrew his bill to run for Congress in March.\u00a0 This year\u2019s measure, however, allows these buildings to fly flags from other states or countries or that have \u201chistorical significance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2024 bill was sponsored by Borrero and Sen. Jonathan Martin, and the 2023 bill by Borrero and then-Sen. Jay Collins. Collins resigned his post in August to serve as lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n

If passed, the legislation would take effect on July 1, 2026. The session starts on Jan. 13.<\/p>\n

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