A Republican state senator offered an amendment to the so-called “don’t say gay” bill Monday in an attempt to reduce partisan tensions over one of the most controversial measures of the legislative session.
His GOP colleagues voted the idea down, then voted to move the bill to a full Senate vote.
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, argued that his amendment would fix the most contentious portion of House Bill 1557, which would bar schools from teaching lessons on gender identity or sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade — or in ways that are not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate in other grades.
