The proposed bill, titled the "Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act," establishes new regulations regarding gender identity and employment practices in Florida. It defines key terms such as "gender identity," "gender ideology," and "adverse personnel action," and asserts that a person's sex is an immutable biological trait. The bill prohibits employees and contractors from being compelled to use pronouns that do not correspond to their biological sex and restricts job applications from including non-binary options for sex identification. Additionally, it protects individuals from adverse employment actions based on their sincerely held beliefs against gender ideology.
The bill also amends existing law to make it unlawful for employers receiving state funding to require training or activities related to sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression as a condition of employment. It provides administrative and civil remedies for violations, including the awarding of reasonable attorney fees and costs to prevailing parties. The Department of Management Services is authorized to adopt rules for the administration of these provisions. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.