During a committee meeting Wednesday, Florida Rep. Randy Fine (R-Brevard County) offered a strong defense for the ‘Protection of Children’ bill and called for its passage even if it “means erasing a community.” HB 1423 seeks to “fine, suspend, or revoke the licenses” of vendors who host “adult live performances” such as drag shows in front of children. Fine introduced the bill in March. His recent comments have gone viral, receiving both applause and condemnation.
“If it means erasing a community because you have to target children, then, damn right, we ought to do it!”
If passed, HB 1423 would increase penalties against vendors that allow children to be exposed to adult performances. The bill would also make it a third-degree felony to admit a minor to an adult performance knowingly. “Adult live performances” are defined as a public performance that “depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
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LGBTQ activists have argued that the measures are “bigoted,” but Fine denied accusations that the bill is discriminatory and said the characterization of the bill as anti-LGBT is “offensive.”
I just don’t think that you have to inherently say because you’re lesbian or gay that you want to target children. I find that statement to be offensive to them.
During the committee meeting, Fine also addressed accusations that HB 1423 was “vague” and argued that the bill set a “very clear standard.”
“We got told this definition is vague. This definition comes from the Supreme Court. It ain’t mine. And by the way, it’s the definition the Supreme Court used for obscenity, which is an even higher standard for what we are using here…
The bill does not say ‘no drag shows.’ It doesn’t use the word drag. It defines, using standard legal terminology, what you can and can’t do… It isn’t just somebody dressed in a dress and ‘boom you’re out.’ There is a very clear standard here. This. Bill. Deals. With. Children.”
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I don’t give a crap about people’s sexuality. But I damn well will protect children. As for footage, sorry to disappoint. https://t.co/EkNiV5eYeA
— Rep. Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) March 24, 2023
The Brevard County Representative also explained his motivations for introducing the bill,
“I didn’t do this bill because I billionaire asked me to, I will tell you why, because it will belie the lie that we’ve heard so often in this debate…”
Fine told colleagues his district was expected to host a gay pride festival six months ago. “Good for them, have a good time. Doesn’t bother me. Adults, do what you want,” he said.
But in the days leading up to the event, Fine says he was contacted by constituents who had concerns over the details of the festival,
“The folks who asked for that permit said they were going to have an adult-focused gay pride parade. Great, have a good time–not for me–but have a good time. A few days before the event, they released the details of the adult-focused event. In really fine print, really fine print: ‘drag queen story time.'”
“My constituents had never heard of this,” Fine said. “They called up, ‘what is this? This doesn’t sound like something targeted at adults?'”
Despite the backlash against Fine’s comments, which one journalist described as “one of the most bigoted statements I’ve ever heard,” the bill has received overwhelming support from lawmakers. On Wednesday, it passed the State Administration and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee by a vote of 10-5.
The “Protection of Children” bill previously passed the Commerce Committee by a vote of 13-6. It will now proceed to the Judiciary Committee.
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