FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 8, 2022

2022 Winter Conference Being Held Feb. 11-13 in St. Petersburg, Lobby Days Feb. 7-11

DELRAY BEACH, FL – It’s an election year and that means Florida Republicans are once again attacking the LGBTQ+ community for political gain.

Today, the Florida Legislature is considering two dangerous pieces of legislation in committee. This morning, the Senate Education Committee shut down testimony and rammed through a party line vote on the “Don’t Say Gay” bill (HB 1557/SB 1834), which blocks teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ issues or people and undermines existing protections for LGBTQ+ kids in schools. The “Stop WOKE” Act (HB 7/SB 148) will censor workplaces and schools from teaching honest LGBTQ+ history, Black history, the root causes of injustice and discrimination and more.

As part of its 2022 Lobby Days (Feb. 7-11), the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus is advocating for pro-equality measures and against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation with Florida legislators throughout the week.

This weekend, the Caucus will hold its 2022 Winter Conference at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park in St. Petersburg. The conference will feature U.S. Representative Val Demings, U.S. Representative Charlie Crist, Commissioner Nikki Fried, State Senator Annette Taddeo, Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, State Senator Shevrin Jones, State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, State Rep. Michele Rayner, and many more exciting speakers and informative panels. Equality Florida’s Nadine Smith will receive the Caucus’ Lifetime Leadership Award and former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman will receive the Caucus’ Municipal Leadership Award.

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement regarding both events:

“So much is at stake this year. We’re watching the Florida legislature debate the LGBTQ+ community’s very existence every day, with Republicans hoping to erase us from public life. We are holding our 2022 Lobby Days and Winter Conference to fight back against partisan attacks on us, underscore just what’s at stake, and get people energized to turn out to vote.”

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