If a bill circulating in Tallahassee passes in the coming week, then this could be the last year for events such as Key West Pride, Goombay, Womenfest, Black History Month, the Headdress Ball and others.
House Bill 1001, titled Anti-Diversity in Local Government, would ban cities and counties, including tourist development councils (TDCs), from “funding, promoting or taking any official action” to support programs or events related to diversity based on “race, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation,” states the bill’s text.
If HB 1001 passes, then TDC funds could not support Key West Pride, Goombay, Womenfest or other so-called diversity programs, said Rob Dougherty, executive director of the Key West Business Guild, which also operates the Gay Key West visitor center on Duval Street with TDC funds.
“If this passes, the city and county couldn’t allow any of their streets, parks or properties to be used for parades, the street fairs, concerts or other events,” said Dougherty.
“We could only continue to receive that funding if we dropped the ‘Gay’ from ‘Gay Key West,’” Dougherty told the Keys Weekly this week.
Key West City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Sam Kaufman is also monitoring the bill and has asked city manager Brian L. Barroso for any updates from the city’s lobbyists.
“It would be very helpful to understand how this legislation could potentially impact city funding streams or allocations of city resources, as well as any downstream effects on funding opportunities for our local non-profit partners,” Kaufman wrote to Barroso.
The city commission meets Thursday, March 5.
Dougherty and the business guild are urging people to contact Florida Keys state legislators State Sen. Anna Maria Rodriguez and State Rep. Jim Mooney to oppose HB 1001.
“This isn’t just about the LGBTQ community, but in these cases, it’s all about the +, which includes all our allies. Their support has always been crucial,” Dougherty said.
The House bill and its matching one in the state Senate are sponsored by State Rep. Dean Black and State Sen. Clay Yarborough, both Republicans. But some of their fellow Republicans have opposed the bill in committee votes thus far. It is slated for a full House vote within the week.
“This legislation is drawing bipartisan concern,” states an update from Equality Florida. “During its final House committee hearing, State Rep. Michelle Salzman (R-Escambia) publicly criticized HB 1001 as ‘all over the place’ and ‘incredibly vague.’ And when the vote was called, State Rep. Chip LaMarca (R-Broward) broke ranks and joined Democrats in voting no.”
Florida Keys and Key West tourism officials are closely monitoring the bill, which, if passed, would affect Key West’s tourism revenue and TDC’s support for events that drive tourism.
“The potential economic impact is significant,” Dougherty wrote in an update to his members. “The LGBTQ+ visitor market has long been a cornerstone of Key West tourism. A reduction or loss of these events would have ripple effects across our entire business community. (These events) collectively generate substantial revenue for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars, shops, attractions and services. These events drive visitation, extend length of stay and contribute meaningfully to tourism-related tax revenues. If public promotional support and TDC funding are eliminated (with the passage of HB 1001), 2026 may well be the last year we are able to produce these events.”
According to the Monroe County TDC, Key West Pride historically has attracted up to 1,000 out-of-county visitors each year and this year received $74,500 in TDC funds to promote the event. Other events that would no longer be eligible for TDC funding or any public support under HB 1001 include: Tropical Heat, Womenfest, Key West Burlesque, Randy Roberts Live and “The Birdcage” starring Christopher Peterson.
“HB 1001 is still moving through the legislative process and has not become law,” TDC president Kara Franker told the Keys Weekly on March 3. “We are monitoring it closely. All TDC event grant funding is awarded using content-neutral criteria focused on measurable tourism impact, including projected overnight visitation, economic benefit and marketing reach. It would be premature to speculate on the bill’s potential impact on tourism or visitor numbers at this stage, but we will of course comply with all applicable laws as they are enacted.”
