BREAKING: Every Anti-LGBTQ Bill Defeated in Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session

BREAKING: Every Anti-LGBTQ Bill Defeated in Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session

Grassroots coalition delivers a stunning blow to extremism — again

Tallahassee, FL — The 60 days of Florida’s legislative session have concluded. While lawmakers will have to come back in the following weeks to finalize the budget, LGBTQ Floridians and allies across the state are celebrating a resounding and inspiring win: every anti-LGBTQ bill filed in the 2025 legislative session was defeated.

This is more than a policy victory; it’s a testament to the unstoppable force of people power, coalition-building, and a growing refusal to let hate go unchallenged.

“Once again, we’ve done what many thought was impossible: not one anti-LGBTQ bill passed this session,” said Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida. “We improved on the tremendous defeat of 21 out of 22 anti-LGBTQ bills last session for a complete sweep this session, defeating every anti-LGBTQ bill. That’s not luck — that’s the strength of our grassroots movement. It’s students and seniors, faith leaders and frontline workers, parents and teachers, standing together and making sure lawmakers hear us loud and clear: we will not back down.”

In 2024, 21 of 22 anti-LGBTQ bills were defeated — many were expected to return this year with greater force, buoyed by the largest Republican supermajority in Florida history and a national climate increasingly hostile to LGBTQ issues — particularly transgender issues. But instead of escalation, lawmakers showed restraint, perhaps weary from years of pushing culture war bills that do nothing to address the real challenges Floridians face. Only four anti-LGBTQ bills were filed in 2025 — and every one of them failed:

• Pride Flag Ban (HB 75/SB 100), a bill banning government agencies, including public schools and universities, from displaying any flag that represents a “political viewpoint,” including Pride Flags.
• Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work (HB 1495/SB 440), a bill aimed at censoring public workplace discussions of LGBTQ issues, and enabling harassment of transgender employees.
• Anti-Diversity In Local Government (HB 1571/SB 420), a bill attempting to ban cities and counties from recognizing, supporting, and protecting the LGBTQ community and other minorities
• Banning Diversity & Equity In State Agencies (HB 731/SB 1710), a bill that would defund a broad range of activities and positions under the guise of banning DEI in state agencies and would ban state contractors and grantees from using state funds for DEI.

This powerful blockade against anti-LGBTQ extremism was built by a broad coalition of everyday Floridians. They showed up to the Capitol every single day of session, testified in legislative hearings, sent messages to lawmakers, and organized from the Panhandle to the Keys. This session alone, over 400 grassroots lobbyists came to Tallahassee for our largest advocacy week ever. Over 16,000 Floridians sent emails to legislators, and our Pride At The Capitol participants met face-to-face with lawmakers more than 325 times over the course of session. These direct actions continue the momentum building that has grown Equality Florida’s base by more than 165,000 people in just two years, reaching nearly half a million strong in total.

“This win belongs to every person who stood up, spoke out, and locked arms with their neighbors to stop the attacks before they could advance,” Smith added. “And while we celebrate, we know the fight isn’t over. This session still delivered real harm to democracy and equity that impacts all Floridians — and we are just as committed to undoing that damage and building a Florida that truly belongs to all of us.”