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Legislation prohibiting the teaching of sexual identity or gender orientation is on its way to the Governor after a nearly three hour debate this morning in the Florida Senate. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, Equality Florida says lawsuits alleging discrimination will be filed if the bill isn’t vetoed by the Governor.

Nicknamed the Don’t Say Gay bill by opponents, the legislation prohibits a teacher led curriculum that deals with sexual identity and gender orientation for kids in the third grade or younger. Supporter Danny Burgess (R-Tampa) says its that simple.

“This bill says, Parents, your right to raise your children does not end when they walk into a classroom.” 

But Democrat Tina Polsky argued the bill is about satisfying a political base and purposefully discriminating.

“Its because it sends a message; that they don’t matter. They need to be hidden. That it shouldn’t be talked about, and that there should be shame” Polsky told her colleagues.

Democratic Leader Lauren Book cautioned the states teacher shortage will only get worse.

“They’re not secretly pushing the gay agenda, the trans agenda, the woke agenda. It’s it’s not happening” said Book in debate.

But in the end, supporters say its about parents deciding what’s best for their kids.

“We have to let kids be kids” said Sen. Manny Diaz (R-Miami) “And in a kindergarten through third grade instruction, there are topics that our kids are not mature enough to understand or grasp.”

Two republicans joined Democrats in voting no. “22 yeas, 17 nays Mr. President.”

And if the Governor doesn’t veto this legislation, the next step we are told is legal action.

How quickly a suit will be filed depends on how and when the Governor acts.

Rep. Michele Rayner (D-St.Petersburg) is an attorney and told us “We have case law, we have statutes that say that this type of discrimination can not happen, is not legal.”

The Governor will have fifteen days to make a decision once the bill hits his desk.

The Governor has already indicated he will sign the bill. His spokesperson has been under fire for tweeting that the legislation would be better called the anti grooming bill, which angered opponents who say they were being called pedophiles.