A Florida bill designed to protect children from businesses hosting drag shows has passed both chambers and is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk.
Lawmakers filed SB 1438 in early March. The measure itself, introduced by Republican state Rep. Randy Fine and Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough in their respective chambers, would effectively penalize businesses that allow children to attend these adult performances.
According to a summary of the bill, the measure would prohibit a governmental entity “from issuing a permit or otherwise authorizing a person to conduct a performance in violation of specified provisions.”
More specifically, the bill authorizes “the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment if the establishment admits a child to an adult live performance,” per the summary, which continues:
…specifying that the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is given full power and authority to revoke or suspend the license of any person issued under the Beverage Law when it is determined or found by the division upon sufficient cause appearing that he or she is maintaining a licensed premises that admits a child to an adult live performance; prohibiting a person from knowingly admitting a child to an adult live performance, etc.
The bill passed in both chambers, including the GOP-led House 82-32.
“There is nothing in this bill that a good parent or a good entertainer should fear,” state Rep. Joel Rudman said, addressing his Democrat colleagues, suggesting they “read the bill” to see what is in it before making assumptions.
The legislation now goes to DeSantis, whose administration is no stranger to this topic.
Last month, an administrative complaint from the DeSantis administration surfaced, noting its intention to revoke the alcohol license of the Hyatt Regency in Miami. In December, the connected facility, the James L. Knight Center, hosted a drag show — A Drag Queen Christmas — and allowed children to attend despite the DeSantis administration’s warnings about such events allowing children.
As Breitbart News previously reported and complaint detailed, the drag event featured performers in “sexually suggestive clothing” and featured “prosthetic female genitalia.”
There were also “numerous segments where performers engaged in acts of sexual conduct, sexual activity, and lewd, vulgar, and indecent displays,” per the complaint.
As Breitbart News detailed:
That includes “performers forcibly penetrating or rubbing their exposed prosthetic female crests against the faces or oral cavities of audience members” as well as “simulating masturbation through performers’ digitally penetrating prosthetic female [sic] genital.” It also noted the sexually explicit nature of the show’s Christmas songs, which included “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer.”
These same indecent displays were seen by children at the same drag show throughout its nationwide tour:
According to the complaint, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) warned the Hyatt Regency Miami against allowing children to attend the show, and it responded with advertisements recommending the show for those 18 and older. Children, however, were still allowed to attend, with adult supervision.
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