38 Florida Democrats get “F” grade from conservative ‘Florida Family Action’ legislative scorecard

Conservative activist John Stemberger’s Florida Family Policy Council has released its 2018 state legislative scorecard, and it includes failing grades for dozens of Democratic legislators.

The group scored each member of the 2017-2018 legislative body on ten issues of “life, family, religious liberty and related matters.”

Overall, 38 Democrats received an “F”. Sixty-three Republican lawmakers and three Democrats received perfect “A” scores. Eleven Republicans and one Democrat received a “B” grade. Five Republicans received a “C,” while two Republicans and one Democrat received a “D.”

The report begins by blasting a bill that hasn’t even come before the entire Legislature – The Florida Competitive Workforce Act – which the group lambastes as “the worst bill in the world.”

The measure would update the state’s Civil Rights Act of 1992 and add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of groups protected against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. It has bipartisan support, including support from the state’s business community.

Stemberger’s group charges that the proposed law would “create another legal cause of action for LGBTQ activists to hammer small business owners with lawsuits for money damages.”

It’s not an outlier idea: 12 Florida counties, along with 33 cities and towns, prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in both the private and public sector. Another dozen counties, cities and towns offer portions of those protections.

Other bills that were included in the Florida Family Policy Council’s rankings involve abortion, school vouchers and religious liberty. While the report mostly rewards Republicans and demerits state Democrats, there were a few exceptions.

Three Republican lawmakers – state Sen. Dana Young from Tampa, and Representatives Bill Hager from Boca Raton and Rene Plasencia from Central Florida received “D” grades. All three support the Florida Competitive Workforce Act.

You can look up the grades offered by the Florida Family Policy Council all the members of the Florida House and Senate by clicking here.