For Immediate Release: May 1, 2026 President Julie Kent, Florida NOW

 ORLANDO, FL — Florida NOW strongly condemns Governor Ron DeSantis’s signing of SB 1134 and HB 1217 on April 22, 2026, banning Florida cities and counties from funding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and from adopting net-zero carbon emissions policies.

“These laws represent a dangerous escalation of state overreach into local governance — stripping communities of the power to address discrimination and climate resilience on their own terms,” said Julie Kent, President of FL National Organization for Women.

SB 1134 prohibits local governments from establishing or maintaining DEI offices, officers, or programs. It bars taxpayer funding for DEI-related initiatives, requires grant recipients to certify no funds will advance DEI, and — most alarmingly — gives the governor the power to remove elected local officials who violate the law. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027. WPEC

HB 1217 prohibits state and local governments from implementing net-zero emissions mandates, carbon taxes, or participation in carbon trading programs — and blocks taxpayer funds from supporting any organization that promotes net-zero policies.

“These bills don’t protect Floridians — they silence them and bar them from taking action for their communities,” said Debbie Deland, Vice President of FL NOW. “When the governor can remove a locally elected official for funding a workplace inclusion program, that’s not limited government. That’s authoritarian control.”

DEI Is Not Discrimination — It Is the Remedy

Governor DeSantis justified SB 1134 by claiming that “the disfavored groups, number one obviously, would be white males, and I think they’ve been discriminated against.”

Florida NOW strongly rejects this distortion. DEI programs exist to ensure compliance with civil rights law and to dismantle barriers that continue to disadvantage women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals in hiring, contracting, and public services. Banning these programs doesn’t create a merit-based system — it protects an unequal one. White males are the most privileged in the United States. They work to maintain the patriarchy.

As NAACP Gainesville President Evelyn Foxx stated: “The governor is out of touch with people, and that is the bottom line.”

Climate Denial as Policy — in the State Most Vulnerable to Climate Change

HB 1217 was signed on Earth Day — a deliberate provocation. Florida faces rising seas, intensifying hurricanes, a property insurance crisis, and some of the nation’s highest climate vulnerability. South Florida communities that have already adopted net-zero plans to protect residents and infrastructure will now be forced to abandon them.

Bill sponsor Rep. Berny Jacques called climate policy “the green new scam.” Florida NOW calls it survival.

A Pattern of Preemption

These bills are part of a systematic campaign by Tallahassee to override local decision-making:

• 2023: Banned DEI in higher education
• 2023: Limited how race can be taught in K-12 schools (Stop WOKE Act)
• 2025: Blocked local governments from managing growth and housing policy
• 2026: Banned local DEI programs and climate action

“Florida’s cities and counties are being stripped of the ability to govern on behalf of their own residents,” said Kent.

Florida NOW Calls For:

• Legal challenges to SB 1134’s removal power, which raises serious First Amendment and home rule concerns.
• Coalition action with NAACP, Equality Florida, ACLU-FL, League of Women Voters, and climate organizations to resist implementation.
• Public accountability for every legislator who voted to ban inclusion and block climate action.
• Voter mobilization to elect leaders who will restore local democracy in 2026 and beyond.

“Governor DeSantis signed these bills in Jacksonville — a city that has invested in DEI and climate planning because its residents demanded it,” said Deland. “This isn’t about saving taxpayer money. It is about punishing communities for caring about equity and the planet. It is about politicians doing the bidding of corporations to get money. The majority of our legislators are bought and paid for.”

Florida NOW is a state affiliate of the National Organization for Women, advocating for women’s rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive freedom, and constitutional equality across Florida.

### Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org

Six‑week ban, criminalization threats, and shrinking access endanger the health and autonomy of millions of Floridians

Orlando, FL — [May 2026] — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is sounding the alarm as Florida’s abortion restrictions intensify, creating one of the most dangerous and inaccessible reproductive‑health landscapes in the country. With the six‑week abortion ban now in effect and additional restrictions advancing through state agencies and courts, FL NOW warns that pregnant Floridians are facing unprecedented barriers to timely, safe, and medically necessary care.

“Florida’s escalating abortion restrictions are not about health — they are about control,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “A six‑week ban is a near‑total ban. It denies people the ability to make decisions about their own bodies, their families, and their futures. These policies are putting lives at risk.”

Under the current law, most Floridians do not even know they are pregnant before abortion becomes illegal. Providers report widespread confusion, delayed care, and fear among patients who are unsure whether they can legally receive treatment for pregnancy complications. Advocates warn that the restrictions have already led to:

• Death of women with pregnancy complications
• Delays in emergency care
• Patients being turned away until their conditions worsen
• Increased travel out of state
• Heightened risks for survivors of violence
• Disproportionate harm to Black, Brown, rural, and low‑income communities

“These laws are forcing doctors to choose between their medical training and the threat of prosecution,” Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW said. “No one should have to wait until they are hemorrhaging or near death to receive care. Republican White Men in power continue to attack and reduce women’s rights.”

FL NOW also notes that Florida’s abortion restrictions are unfolding alongside rising maternal mortality rates, especially among Black women, and a growing exodus of OB‑GYNs from the state. The organization warns that the combined effect is a collapsing reproductive‑health system that leaves pregnant people with fewer options and greater danger.

“Florida cannot claim to value life while simultaneously creating conditions that endanger pregnant people,” Deland said. “Reproductive freedom is a fundamental human right. These escalating restrictions violate that right and undermine the health and dignity of women.”

FL NOW is calling for immediate statewide action, including:

• Restoration of meaningful access to abortion care
• Protection for healthcare providers who act in the best interests of their patients
• Clear, medically grounded standards for emergency care
• Investment in maternal health, especially for communities facing the highest risks
• Legislative and judicial accountability for policies that endanger pregnant Floridians

“Floridians deserve compassion, autonomy, and evidence‑based healthcare,” Kent said. “FL NOW will continue to fight — in every county, every courtroom, and every legislative chamber — until reproductive freedom is fully restored.”

Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org

Rising deaths, extreme racial disparities, and state inaction endanger pregnant Floridians

Orlando, FL — [May 2026] — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) is calling for urgent statewide action as Florida’s maternal mortality crisis continues to worsen, with Black women facing the highest risk of pregnancy‑related death. Despite escalating dangers, the state has failed to provide transparent oversight, timely reporting, or meaningful policy solutions to protect pregnant people.

“Florida is failing its mothers,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “Maternal deaths are rising, Black women are dying at alarming rates, and the state continues to restrict reproductive healthcare while withholding the transparency needed to save lives. This is a public health emergency — and a moral one.”

Recent data show that Florida’s maternal mortality rate has increased over the past several years, mirroring national trends but with sharper racial disparities. Black women in Florida are several times more likely to die from pregnancy‑related causes than white women. Advocates warn that the state’s restrictive reproductive laws — including a six‑week abortion ban — have created additional barriers to timely, safe, and medically necessary care.

Compounding the crisis, Florida’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee has faced criticism for lack of transparency, delayed reporting, and limited public accountability. These committees are responsible for identifying why mothers are dying and recommending life‑saving interventions — yet Florida’s process remains opaque.

“Maternal mortality reviews are supposed to shine a light on preventable deaths,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW. “Instead, Florida has kept families and communities in the dark. Without transparency, there can be no accountability — and without accountability, there can be no change.”

FL NOW is calling for immediate statewide action, including:

• Full transparency in maternal mortality review processes, including public reporting and open meetings
• Restoration and expansion of reproductive healthcare access, including medically necessary abortion care
• Targeted investment in Black maternal health, including community‑based care models
• Legislative oversight to ensure maternal deaths are reviewed promptly and recommendations are implemented
• Evidence‑based policies that prioritize the health, safety, and dignity of pregnant Floridians

“Every maternal death is a family shattered, a community grieving, and a failure of public policy,” Deland said. “Florida must act now — not with political theater, but with real solutions that save lives.”

FL NOW urges lawmakers, healthcare leaders, and community partners to join in demanding accountability and advancing policies that protect pregnant people across the state.

Florida NOW remains committed to fighting for reproductive justice, racial equity, and the right of every Floridian to survive pregnancy and childbirth.

Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org