Florida · H 1069
Education
Defines "sex" for Florida Early Learning-20 Education Code; provides requirements relating to titles & pronouns; revises provisions relating to instruction & materials for specified instruction relating to reproductive health; provides additional requirements for instruction regarding human sexuality; provides district school boards are responsible for materials used in classroom libraries; revises provisions relating to objections of certain materials & process related to such objections; revises school principal, school district & district school board duties & responsibilities relating to certain materials & processes.
Passed
Mar 31, 2023
Sponsors (16)
- Education & Employment Committee
- Education Quality Subcommittee
- Stan McClain
- Adam Anderson
- Jessica Baker
- Doug Bankson
- Webster Barnaby
- David Borrero
- James Buchanan
- Jennifer Canady
- Randy Fine
- Ralph Massullo
- Rachel Plakon
- Alejandro Rizo
- Rick Roth
- Michelle Salzman
Organizations Involved
Groups connected to this legislation based on public records and documented activities.
M4L chapters lobbied for and enforce HB 1069 through mass book challenges.
FLCA lobbied for HB 1069 and filed challenges in 12+ FL districts.
NLTE FL chair Bruce Friedman filed 94% of challenges in one FL district.
Heritage endorsed FL approach; gave M4L $25K Salvatori Prize for book challenge work.
Jurisdictions
Which districts, counties, or other jurisdictions are subject to this law — and which have confirmed book removals on record.
“Confirmed” means we have at least one documented book removal in our database citing this law. “Awaiting confirmation” means the jurisdiction is under the law’s authority but we don’t yet have specific removal records. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence — many districts may be enforcing this law quietly.
Confirmed removals (26)
- Alachua County School District, FL10 bans
- Bay County School District, FL30 bans
- Brevard County School District, FL23 bans
- Broward County School District, FL8 bans
- Clay County School District, FL462 bans
- Collier County School District, FL3 bans
- Escambia County School District, FL27 bans
- Flagler County School District, FL11 bans
- Florida Virtual School, FL1 ban
- Gilchrist County School District, FL1 ban
- Hernando County School District, FL42 bans
- Hillsborough County School District, FL1 ban
- Indian River County School District, FL132 bans
- Lee County School District, FL3 bans
- Leon County School District, FL3 bans
- Manatee County School District, FL25 bans
- Marion County School District, FL6 bans
- Martin County School District, FL98 bans
- Orange County School District, FL6 bans
- Osceola County School District, FL21 bans
- Pasco County School District, FL1 ban
- Santa Rosa County School District, FL5 bans
- Seminole County School District, FL2 bans
- St. Johns County School District, FL6 bans
- Volusia County School District, FL2 bans
- Wakulla County School District, FL1 ban
Subject to this law — awaiting confirmation (47)
- Baker County School District, FL
- Bradford County School District, FL
- Calhoun County School District, FL
- Charlotte County School District, FL
- Citrus County School District, FL
- Columbia County School District, FL
- DeSoto County School District, FL
- Dixie County School District, FL
- Duval County School District, FL
- Florida A&M University Lab School
- Florida Atlantic University Lab School
- Florida State University Lab School
Legislative Timeline
Filed
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
Now in Education Quality Subcommittee
Referred to Education Quality Subcommittee
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Added to Education Quality Subcommittee agenda
Added to Education Quality Subcommittee agenda
Favorable with CS by Education Quality Subcommittee
Reported out of Education Quality Subcommittee
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
CS Filed
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
Now in Education & Employment Committee
PCS added to Education & Employment Committee agenda
Favorable with CS by Education & Employment Committee
Reported out of Education & Employment Committee
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
CS Filed
Bill referred to House Calendar
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/30/2023)
Read 2nd time
Amendment 416575 Failed
Amendment 568053 Failed
Amendment 444887 Failed
Amendment 671947 Failed
Amendment 244077 Failed
Amendment 009815 Failed
Amendment 196635 Failed
Amendment 618355 Failed
Amendment 963567 Failed
Amendment 714981 Failed
Placed on 3rd reading
Added to Third Reading Calendar
Amendment 222455 Failed
Read 3rd time
CS passed; YEAS 77, NAYS 35
In Messages
Referred to Fiscal Policy
Received
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
Substituted for CS/SB 1320
Read 2nd time
Amendment(s) failed (215292, 219548, 239894, 430296, 867012, 914368)
Placed on 3rd reading
Withdrawn from Fiscal Policy
Read 3rd time
CS passed; YEAS 27 NAYS 12
In Messages
Ordered enrolled
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
20 book(s) restricted in Escambia County, FL pending review under HB 1069: 'The Bluest Eye', 'Slaughterhouse-Five', 'The Kite Runner', 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', 'Middlesex', 'Watchmen', 'It', 'And Tango Makes Three', 'All Boys Aren't Blue', 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes', 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes', 'Death on the Nile', 'The Diary of a Young Girl', 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X', 'Two Boys Kissing', 'Out of Darkness', 'When Aidan Became a Brother', 'Uncle Bobby's Wedding', 'Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out', 'George (now titled 'Melissa')'
Approved by Governor
Chapter No. 2023-105
Federal Judge Carlos Mendoza (U.S. Middle District of FL) rules in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that HB 1069 provision targeting "descriptions of sexual conduct" is unconstitutionally overbroad. Named 23 books and stated "none of these books are obscene." The mandate to remove books with even a single reference to prohibited subject matter violates students' First Amendment right of free access to ideas. Parts requiring a process for challenging books were NOT struck down.
Jacksonville group proposed banning three books from Duval County Public Schools, citing violation of state law regarding sexual content
Sources
- LegiScan
- NewsPEN AmericaMay 17, 2023archived
HB 1069 enforcement in Escambia County, FL: Books named in PEN America v. Escambia County School District complaint, filed May 16, 2023. Lawsuit alleges 197 books were targeted for removal, with at least 42% by non-white and/or LGBTQ+ authors.
- News
- NewsTallahassee DemocratAug 14, 2025archived
Coverage of Judge Mendoza ruling in Penguin Random House v. Gibson
- News
Legislative data provided by LegiScan. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.