On Aug. 28, the Christian Family Coalition (CFC) Florida hosted its 2021 Sumter, Lake and Marion Legislative Victory Breakfast at Brownwood Hotel & Spa. There were about 300 people in attendance.
According to the CFC website, “The CFC works to introduce pro-family legislation at the state and local levels of government. We inform and educate citizens on where candidates stand on the issues that affect the traditional family unit.”
When asked why the breakfast was held in The Villages, Anthony Verdugo, Founder and Executive Director of the CFC, chuckled with a, “Why not? The Villages is one of the most important areas of Florida.”
While Salt & Light Council was the title sponsor of the event, Freedom Fellowship Church of The Villages was also a sponsor.
“I know there were at least five tables full of (Freedom Fellowship) members,” Lynn Holtmeyer, of the Village of Dunedin, said.
Some other sponsors included Trump Club, The America Project and Florida Blue.
During the breakfast, attendees were acknowledged for their support in key legislative matters and were updated on three bills that were passed in Tallahassee:
- Florida Parental Rights Act- This bill requires that Florida parents have the right to object to school materials they don’t deem fit for their children. The Florida Supreme Court has likewise recognized that parents have a fundamental liberty interest in determining the care and upbringing of their children. These rights may not be intruded upon absent a compelling state interest.
- Materials Harmful to Minors- This bill requires each school district or school to provide parents of public school students the opportunity to review curriculum used to teach reproductive health or any sexuality transmitted disease, including HIV/AIDS. Schools are prohibited from exposing students to such instruction without the prior written consent of a parent. The bill establishes that a student whose parent does not give written consent for such teaching may not be penalized due to the withheld consent.
- No Boys in Girls Sports- This bill requires the designation of separate sex-specific athletics teams or sports at the primary, secondary and collegiate levels. The bill also requires separate sex-specific interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletics teams or sports if the team or sport is sponsored by a public primary or secondary school, a public postsecondary institution or any school or institution whose students or teams compete against such public schools or institutions.
State Senators Dennis Baxley and Keith Perry along with State Representatives Brett Hage, Joe Harding, Stan McClain, Anthony Sabatini and Keith L. Truenow also spoke.
“We’re gonna keep Florida as conservative as we can for as long as we can,” McClain stated.
“It’s time to go on the offense and destroy the left,” Sabatini declared.
Almost the whole room stood up and applauded at Sabatini’s words.
– Written by Gazette News Editor, Emily Baker