Florida Republicans pass anti-trans bathroom bill: 4th anti-LGBTQ bill in 3 days

House Republicans in Florida on Wednesday passed a bill that would criminalize transgender people for using restrooms that align with their gender identity.

Only two Republican lawmakers joined their Democratic colleagues in voting against the measure, which LGBTQ rights advocates say would “make every citizen and every visitor to Florida vulnerable to discriminatory, baseless criminalization.”

House Bill 1521, which already passed the Senate, now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s expected to sign it into law. Its passage comes amidst an unprecedented wave of bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ people — particularly transgender and nonbinary youth — as DeSantis continues to push his aggressive anti-LGBTQ agenda in an apparent attempt to appeal to conservative voters ahead of a potential White House run.

Critics say the “dangerous” ban — the fourth anti-LGBTQ bill passed by the state legislature in three days — will exacerbate bias against an already vulnerable population.

“This bill opens the door to abuse, mistreatment, and dehumanization,” Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director of Equality Florida, said in a statement. “Our state government should be focused on solving pressing issues, not terrorizing people who are simply trying to use the restroom and exist in public.”

[ Florida House passes ‘horrible expanded’ version of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill ]

Earlier on Wednesday, Senate Republicans voted to ban classroom instruction on LGBTQ topics in schools. HB 1069 would also allow teachers or school staff to misgender trans students. Critics call it a “horrible” extension of the state’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill — which was signed into law by DeSantis last year and prohibits discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation among young children.

“This legislation, while intentionally vaguely worded in some instances, [seeks to] erase LGBTQ young people entirely from Florida’s classrooms,” said Gabby Doyle Advocacy, campaign manager at The Trevor Project, the nation’s largest crisis and suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth.

Last month, the Florida Board of Education also approved a rule banning the discussion of LGBTQ issues in classrooms for students through 12th grade.