In this episode: A bill has begun moving in Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature that would forbid school districts from considering the artistic or literary value of books that fringe activists want banned from libraries. Plus: The state House advances a plan to make public school students watch anti-abortion cartoons while the state Senate tries to put more bureaucracy between laid-off workers and the unemployment benefits they earned. Those bills and more from Day 9 of Florida’s 2026 legislative session.

Show notes

Following up on the two points that came up during the show:

* Republican state Rep. Dana Trabulsy is from Fort Pierce (not Tampa)

* Byron Donalds, the Republican Congressman running for Florida governor, has taken more than $1 million from Richard “Dick” Uihlein, a major funder of the Foundation for Government Accountability

The bills discussed in today’s show:

House Bill 1119 — Materials Harmful to Minors

Passed the House Education Administration Subcommittee by a 13-5 vote (vote sheet)

House Bill 4027 — Hillsborough County Public Schools, Hillsborough County

Passed the House Education Administration Subcommittee by a 17-1 vote (vote sheet)

House Bill 1071 — Education

Passed the House Student Academic Success Subcommittee by a 12-5 vote (vote sheet)

Senate Bill 216 — Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility

Passed the Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Committee by a 9-5 vote (vote sheet)

House Bill 433 — Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Passed the House Commerce Committee by an 18-0 vote (vote sheet)

House Bill 105 — Local Government Enforcement Actions

Passed the House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee by a 16-0 vote (vote sheet)

Stories and other resources discussed in today’s show:

Hillsborough school board grills superintendent on book removals (Tampa Bay Times)

Under state threats, Hillsborough pulls transgender YouTuber’s memoir (Tampa Bay Times)

Is ‘Baby Olivia’ headed to a school near you? Bills in several states would allow screenings of fetal development video. (19th News)

Florida lawmakers are about to hand a revenge tool to a much-criticized industry | Opinion (Miami Herald editorial board)

Stop Florida’s Corporate “Food Gag” Bills (Stand for Health Freedom)

A billionaire-backed think tank keeps sabotaging Florida workers. More attacks are coming. (Seeking Rents)

Prodded by business lobbyists, lawmakers may cut more Floridians off from unemployment insurance (Seeking Rents)

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