Hogan calls Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill ‘absurd’

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Sunday said Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which critics have referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, is “absurd.”

“I think the bill was kind of absurd and not something that would have happened in our state,” Hogan told co-anchor Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the controversial bill into law on Monday, which restricts educational instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Educators who teach students of all ages are banned from taking part in instruction on the topics in a way that is not “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” for children.

The law, which takes effect on July 1, has attracted widespread criticism, including from Disney, which pledged to help repeal the bill.

DeSantis has shot back at Disney, saying the company “crossed the line” with its criticism. The governor on Thursday appeared to support eliminating the company’s status that allows it to function as an independent government in the area around its parks in Orlando.

Asked for his reaction to DeSantis suggesting that he will retaliate against Disney, Hogan emphasized that Disney is entitled to express its opinion on the bill.

“I didn’t really actually see the details of the legislation but the whole thing seems like just a, you know, crazy fight. I’m not sure it’s, it concerns me that DeSantis is always talking about, you know, he was not not demanding that businesses do think but he was, you know, telling the cruise lines what they had to do, he was telling local schools, mandating, and now he’s, he wants to criticize Disney for expressing you know, how they feel about that bill,” Hogan said.

“I mean, they have every right to, we have this thing called freedom of speech. They can dictate and come out and say what they think. I think the bill was kind of absurd, and not something would have happened in our state,” he added.