Two Democrat legislators have filed an appeal of last session’s controversial House Bill 1, the so-called “anti-riot” law, which was pushed by Republicans to punish Black Lives Matter protesters and chill free speech.
Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) and State Rep. Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) have filed companion bills last week — in collaboration with The Black Collective and the Community Justice Project — to undo the “Combating Public Disorder” law, which not only infringes on everyone’s First Amendments rights but also punishes local law enforcement agencies that don’t treat demonstrators like criminals.
This was Gov. Ron DeSantis priority last year. Instead of COVID-19 protections or fixing the broken unemployment system. It went with his nationally-rising profile as the great white conservative hope.
Read related: Governor’s anti-protest bill gets through first committee hearing — on partisan vote
He didn’t care about its constitutionality. It made great headlines. Who cares about a little thing like rights? A federal judge, that’s who. In September, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker temporarily blocked the enforcement of a key portion of the law, in part, because it “encourages arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.”
Ya think?
“HB 1 blatantly violates Floridians’ constitutionally-protected rights and is yet another demonstration of just how fragile our democracy is as power-hungry politicians attempt to silence any and all voices that disagree with them,” Jones said in a statement. “The right to peacefully assemble is fundamental to any healthy democracy and a force behind positive change throughout history. As a federal judge ruled recently, this dangerous law has no place in Florida and ought to be repealed immediately.”
Added Nixon: “Repealing HB 1 will stop the silencing of Black and Brown communities which has always been a part of our country’s history. Instead of infringing on people’s first amendment rights, legislators should be focusing on creating policies that allow Floridians to have the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe.”
Read related: Charges dropped against FIU protesters and arrest reports don’t match the 911 call
Community Justice Project Senior Staff Attorney Berbeth Foster said that GOP legislators “twisted Florida’s laws to violate the constitutional right of individuals and municipalities alike.”
And last month, nine Florida cities sued DeSantis because of the law’s provision to control local law enforcement budgets and decision making.
“HB 1 is an abuse of power, the state’s attempt to silence Black people and condone violence perpetrated against them. Communities are asking more of their local elected officials, and through HB 1 the state established a process to interfere in the participatory local democracy and governance of cities,” said Francesca Menes, co-founder of The Black Collective and a 2016 State House candidate in District 108.
“Reimagining public safety is about shifting resources to where they are most needed, laying a path for our communities to thrive rather than maintaining the status quo.”
Florida’s legislature is still mostly controlled by the GOP so the chances of this bill even seeing the light of day are, at the very best, 50/50.
Legislators file appeal of HB1 anti-free speech bill passed post BLM protests added by Ladra on
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Ladra, in your 12/13 post above, did you actually say that you support exempting bail for “protesters” arrested ? They would not be arrested if they were actually peacefully protesting…they get arrested when they throw bricks through windows and fill their arms with boxes of sneakers….sounds like we need bail more than ever!
Don’t try shutting down side streets AND highway for hours unless you are Cuban because the Miami police will arrest and tow as they should .
However if Cuban you will get a free pass and DeSantis will even come here the next day and show his support , very different outcome if you are African American .
Ladra, so if we don’t need overkill on the BLM issue why are the Dems adding a bunch of new categories and additional penalties to “hate” crime? Seems like we all hate crime, should some of us hate crime more than others?
Ladra, your article is very shy on what Gov De Santis’ bill actually does…hence, your post melted into the usual Leftist virtue signaling. Very disappointing. BLM stands for Burning Looting Murder. Their patron Saint George Flord was a violent monster. If the De Santis’ bill distances these animals from our families further, everyone outside NY and Calif will support it.
We NEED More RIOTS RELATED LAWS The Ones WE have Lack Teeth ?
We’ll have to agree to disagree. We don’t want to have a “Summer of Love” like the left-controlled cities and states had last year. It won’t happen in Florida.
Dear Evan:
Rioting, looting and burning businesses down is ALREADY illegal. No need for an extra law to make it illegal for more than 7 people to congregate in one place and exempt bail for protesters who are arrested. That’s overkill.
Thanks for reading.
Love, Ladra
“The right to peacefully assemble…” How does rioting, looting, and burning businesses down to the ground fit within that right? Please elaborate… Yeah, I didn’t think so. DeSantis IS the great conservative hope, for whites, blacks, and everyone else in between who want to work hard and play by the rules.
Its about time they woke up! Took them long enough. This legislature may not see the light of day but at least its a start. We will not fix Florida until De Sastre is gone. Democratic Floridians need wake up and realize that we are being trampled. More aggressive measures are needed to save our democracy.