About - Palm Beach County Human Rights Council

PBCHRC is Florida’s oldest, independent nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.PBCHRC promotes equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation, and community outreach. We are an all-volunteer organization, with no paid staff and no physical office location. Almost all of our work is done virtually.

Since 1974, bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress to amend our nation’s civil rights laws to provide equal rights for LGBTQ individuals. However, almost five decades later, none have been signed into law. Fortunately, in 2020, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled, in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As a result, employers across the country with 15 or more employees are prohibited from discriminating against LGBTQ people in employment. In addition, in reliance on the Bostock decision, most states – including Florida – now prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and public accommodations.

While there are no statewide Florida laws which protect LGBTQ Floridians from discrimination housing, public accommodations, etc., a handful of Florida counties – including Palm Beach County - have enacted specific laws to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people. In fact, fewer than 20 percent of all Florida counties have enacted any LGBTQ rights laws.

Recognizing that the only way to provide equal rights, protections, and benefits to LGBTQ Floridians was at the local level, in 1988, civil rights lawyer Rand Hoch founded PBCHRC. Hoch, who had been active in the gay rights movement in Florida since the late 1970s, has been a leader in effecting changes to enhance the civil rights of all residents of Palm Beach County. Although Hoch later served as chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee, he stepped down from that position in 1990, having realized that not all Republican office holders (and office seekers) were opposed to equal rights, protections, and benefits for the LGBTQ community.

For more than three decades, close to 1,000 candidates for local, state and national office have sought the endorsement of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance (PBCHRCVA) and have been interviewed by PBCHRCVA representatives. Many of these candidates have sponsored local LGBTQ community events and have purchased advertisements in the LGBTQ media, putting their campaign dollars back into the community. More than 500 candidates endorsed by PBCHRC have been elected to public offices over the past three decades. Gay men and lesbians have served as mayors, commissioners, and council members in at least 10 of the 39 municipalities in Palm Beach County – Boynton Beach, Cloud Lake, Haverhill, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, Manalapan, Pahokee, Palm Beach Shores, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. Moreover, LGBTQ lawyers from Palm Beach County have gone on to serve as judges and justices at every level of the state and federal judiciary, with the exception of the United States Supreme Court.

PBCHRC’s initial Board of Directors consisted of Hoch, physician Timothy Horn, interior designer Scott E. Graham and longtime lesbian activist Roz Rizzo. In 1990, Daniel S. Hall, a local attorney who manages a financial counseling company, joined the Board and became PBCHRC’s treasurer. Hall is the organization’s longest serving Board Member and has kept PBCHRC on a sound financial footing for more than three decades. In recognition of Hall’s work, PBCHRC grants annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors — the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Awards.

In 1991, PBCHRC established the nation’s first LGBTQ state and federal political action committees (PACs) to be headed by a lesbian — Board Member Roz Rizzo. As changes were made to Florida’s election laws, the PACs were closed and PBCHRC ceased making contributions to political candidates.

Hoch served as PBCHRC’s president until 1992, when he was appointed by Gov. Lawton Chiles to serve as Florida's first openly LGBTQ judge. Before he was sworn in, Hoch asked civil rights activist Norman Aaron to join the PBCHRC Board.

Aaron was elected to serve as PBCHRC’s president in 1992 and held that position until his death in 2002. Aaron was succeeded as president by Jamie Todd Foreman. Shortly thereafter, Hoch, having retired from the bench, rejoined the PBCHRC Board of Directors, serving as the organization’s legislative director. When Foreman stepped down as president in November 2006, Hoch was once again elected president, a position he still holds.

PBCHRCVA’s endorsements and the mobilization of LGBTQ voters have resulted in the election of hundreds of local public officials who have quickly moved to the forefront of the battles for equal rights for our community. Working with PBCHRC, elected officials throughout Palm Beach County have enacted more than 160 local laws and policies providing equal rights and benefits to LGBTQ individuals.

Without exaggeration, Palm Beach County is now one of the most LGBTQ-friendly places in the world to live, study, work, create families, play, and retire.

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Throughout the late 1980s, PBCHRC’s openly gay and lesbian volunteers worked on numerous political campaigns – for both Democratic and Republican candidates. It did not take long for candidates and elected officials to understand that working with PBCHRC and with LGBTQ individuals was an asset, not a liability.

In 1990, PBCHRC led the historic effort to amend Palm Beach County's Fair Housing Ordinance to protect gay men, lesbians and bisexuals from discrimination in housing, financing for housing, and in public accommodations. The law remains the oldest gay rights law in effect in Florida. Over the years, county commissioners have appointed PBCHRC Board members Norman Aaron, Rae Franks, Anne Gannon, Tom Pye and Deidre Newton to serve as members of the Fair Housing/Equal Employment Boards.

Within a few months after the amendments to the Fair Housing Ordinance went into effect, PBCHRC succeeded in amending the county's Affirmative Action Plan to ban discrimination in county hiring and employment based on sexual orientation — another first for Florida.

Later that year, PBCHRC conducted a comprehensive countywide survey of the LGBTQ community to determine the extent of discrimination, harassment, and hate crimes in Palm Beach County. After the results were published, the Council established the "Palm Beach County Anti-Violence Project."

Over the years, the project has worked closely with the State Attorney's Office, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, municipal police departments and other law enforcement agencies to address violence against the GLBT community. The 1990 survey also played a significant part in persuading Gov. Lawton Chiles and the state Legislature to enact Florida's comprehensive Hate Crimes Law in 1991.

Helen Wilkes, the first woman to serve as mayor of West Palm Beach, convened city leaders in 1990 in a successful effort to amend the city’s charter to provide for a “strong mayor” form of government. Recognizing the importance of the growing block of LGBTQ voters, Wilkes insisted that both Hoch, a Democrat, and gay bar owner Glen Scriber, a Republican, play active roles in the referendum campaign to change the city’s charter.

In early 1991, Hoch was appointed by the West Palm Beach City Commission to serve on the city's Employment Practices Review Committee. Hoch was elected Chair Pro Tempore of the Committee, and as a result of his participation, West Palm Beach soon became a model for pro-LGBTQ policies among the state’s public employers. By year’s end, West Palm Beach become the first public employer in Florida to enact an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in public employment. That year, the city also implemented sexual-orientation sensitivity training for all city employees — including law enforcement officers.

In 1991, PBCHRC first asked the School Board of Palm Beach County to adopt a written policy protecting all school district employees from employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, the organization’s efforts were not successful.

Under the leadership of newly elected strong Mayor Nancy Graham, in early 1992, West Palm Beach became Florida's first public employer to provide basic domestic partnership benefits such as sick leave and bereavement leave for its employees. (In 2000, West Palm Beach added health insurance, and in 2003, the city extended lifetime health insurance benefits to the surviving domestic partner of any city employee killed in the line of duty).

Over the years that followed, many other municipalities – and the County’s Constitutional Officers – followed the example set by the City of West Palm Beach in offering health insurance coverage and other family benefits for employees with domestic partners and children.

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Under the leadership of Norm Aaron, a longtime resident of Boynton Beach, PBCHRC mounted an extensive campaign to have the City of Boynton Beach adopt an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, after months of campaigning, the ordinance was defeated in August, 1993.

The following year, PBCHRC focused its efforts on West Palm Beach, which resulted in the enactment of an Equal Opportunity Ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodation. The ordinance also ensured that gay men and lesbians would be represented on city boards and commissions.

Shortly after the law went into effect, the local Christian Coalition gathered signatures for a referendum on whether to repeal the ordinance by citywide vote. In response, the Council formed a strong coalition of local civil rights organizations and persuaded then-Mayor Nancy Graham, a Republican, to head the campaign to defeat the repeal effort. The coalition mobilized hundreds of volunteers for the "No on 1!" campaign. After a bitter campaign, on Jan. 10, 1995, 56 percent of the voters of West Palm Beach voted against the effort to repeal the ordinance. This historic vote marked the first time in Florida history that a repeal effort based on sexual orientation was defeated at the polls. (On May 7, 2007, West Palm Beach amended the Equal Opportunity Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression).

Following the successful referendum, the Council worked to encourage the County Commissioners to enact a equal employment ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation. Unfortunately, the Council was unable to muster enough votes from the County Commissioners to include sexual orientation, so the Palm Beach County Equal Employment Ordinance was enacted without protections for the gay and lesbian community.

Disheartened by the defeat, the Council lost much of its zeal for advocacy, and for the remainder of the decade, the Council focused on educational efforts and in strengthening its ties to other civil rights and political organizations throughout the Palm Beach County.

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In September 2002, the County's Equal Employment Ordinance was amended to prohibit discrimination based on familial status, marital status and sexual orientation. As a result, gay, lesbian and bisexual employees working in Palm Beach County may file complaints with the county's Equal Opportunity Board to recover actual and punitive damages, attorney's fees and costs.

Following the lead of the City of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County, over the years, other local public employers which have enacted policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation for their own employees. These include: Atlantis (police department only), Belle Glade, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres (public safety department only), Haverhill, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Manalapan, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Royal Palm Beach (general employees only), South Bay, Tequesta, the Office of the Clerk and Comptroller, the Office of the Property Appraiser, the Office of the Public Defender, the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, the Office of the Tax Collector, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office, the School District of Palm Beach County (non-administrative personnel only), the Children's Services Council, Palm Beach Community College, Palm Tran, the Port of Palm Beach, the Solid Waste Authority, the South Florida Water Management District and the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority.

In 2003, the Council determined that the issue of domestic partner benefits should become the next Council's top priority. At the time, the City of West Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Sheriffs' Office was still the only local employers providing domestic partner benefits.

Within a few years, the following local public employers began offering domestic partner benefits (the Office of the Clerk and Comptroller (2004), the Port of Palm Beach (2004), the city of Lake Worth Beach (2004), the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (2004), Office of the Public Defender (2005), Palm Beach County (2006) the Office of the Supervisor of Elections (2006), the Office of the Tax Collector (2006), the city of Delray Beach (2006), the Solid Waste Authority (2006), Palm Tran (2006), the city of Palm Beach Gardens, the town of Jupiter (2007) and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County (2007), and the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County (2009).

After extensive lobbying by the Council, in March 2003, the Palm Beach County School Board adopted a policy to protect students against harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation.

In April 2003, Lake Worth Beach amended the city's Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. As previously mentioned, in July 2007, the city amended the act to include gender identity and expression.

In the spring of 2003, the Council assisted students at Suncoast High School when the school's principal refused to allow a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) to meet on campus. After invention by our attorneys, the principal backed down and the GSA was established. GSAs are now established in more than a half dozen public high schools in Palm Beach County.

In the fall of 2003, Jupiter Christian School expelled high school senior Jeffrey Woodard, who acknowledged being gay when questioned by school officials. Council representatives met with Jeffrey and his mother shortly after the expulsion, and attorney Trent Steele, a Council board member, represented Woodard in the litigation against the school.

In May 2004, Rosarian Academy abruptly canceled the Voices of Pride! concert, which was set to be held at the school. The Council assisted the gay men's chorus in retaining attorney Steele, who assisted the chorus in securing the Kravis Center for the performance at the Kravis Center and ultimately negotiated a cash settlement with Rosarian Academy. Terms of the settlement are confidential.

In 2004, the office of the Supervisor of Elections became the first local public employer to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression. (In 2007, the cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach, the Village of Tequesta and Palm Beach County all enacted policies prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and expression. The School District of Palm Beach County followed suit in 2010).

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In February 2005, the City of West Palm Beach established a Domestic Partnership Registry, through which any qualified unmarried couple (gay or non-gay) may register their relationship with the city clerk. (For registration forms, go to: www.cityofwpb.com/domestic). Palm Beach County followed suit by establishing a countywide registry in January 2006. As a result, domestic partners are now treated in the same manner as spouses by health-care facilities throughout Palm Beach County with regard to visitation and care decisions. Domestic partners are to be notified as family members in the event of an accident, and in the event of a partner's death, they will be empowered to make funeral decisions. Since the both registries provide reciprocal benefits, anyone legally partnered anywhere in the world will have their partnership, civil union or marriage recognized automatically while in Palm Beach County. For more information, see the "Domestic Partnership" section of our Web site.

In October 2005, the Palm Beach County School District offered to sell health insurance to the domestic partners of 750 school board employees who were not covered by union collective bargaining agreements. However, since the School District charged employees with domestic partners more than $4,000 more per year than it charged married employees, and since the school board refused to cover the dependent children of an employee's domestic partner, not one employee elected to purchase domestic partner health insurance coverage. (When the insurance was made available to all 21,000 employees the following year, less than a dozen employees signed up due to the discriminatory pricing).

In mid-October 2005, the County Commission extended a wide range of domestic partner benefits to its employees. However, following the School District's lead, the County Commission adopted a disparate premiums structure for domestic partner health insurance. Fortunately, when advised by the Council that this was a discriminatory practice, commissioners equalized the premiums the following year.

In contrast, School Board members dragged their feet for almost two years. The Council took great steps to explain why charging higher premiums constituted a violation of a state law prohibiting discrimination in the provision of employee benefits based on marital status. But no action was taken.

In the spring of 2007, the Council located two school district employees who had been adversely affected by higher premiums. Both filed charges of discrimination against the School District with the County's Office of Equal Opportunity. Within months, the School District agreed to equalize the health insurance premiums for all couples and began to offer health insurance for the children of an employee's domestic partner.

In January 2006, Palm Beach County established a countywide domestic partnership registry through which any qualified unmarried couple (gay or non-gay) may register their relationship at any Office of the Clerk and Comptroller . (For further information, see the "Domestic Partnership" section of our web site or go to www.mypalmbeachclerk.com and scroll down to the "domestic partnerships" links on the left side of the page).

In the spring of 2006, the Council was informed that the School District was blocking students' access to many GLBT Web sites —including pbchrc.org. Working with both Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Florida, the Council forced the School District to unblock the sites.

In May 2006, the Palm Beach County School District adopted a Commercial Nondiscrimination Policy, which prohibits the School Board from accepting bids or proposals from, or engaging business with, "any business firm that has discriminated on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other form of unlawful discrimination in its solicitation, selection, hiring, or treatment of another business."

In June 2006, the Board of Trustees of Florida Atlantic University trustees adopted an Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Regulation covering all classes protected by law. Although the trustees refused to include the words "sexual orientation" gay men and lesbians at FAU's Palm Beach and Broward campuses would be covered under the regulation because such discrimination is prohibited by county ordinances.

In July 2006, West Palm Beach expanded its domestic partnership policies. Effective January 1, 2007, West Palm Beach municipal employees with domestic partners will have the same continuation of health insurance coverage benefit currently provided to married employees pursuant to COBRA -- a federal law which provides benefits only to legally married employees, In addition, municipal employees will be allowed to use their sick leave to care for domestic partners in the same manner as married employees may use it to care for their spouses.

Later in July, after only four months of lobbying, the Delray Beach City Commission directed the city's staff to amend the city's non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation, marital status and familial status and to offer the full range of domestic partnership benefits to city employees. Because of strong resistance from City Manager David Harden, it took more than a year for the policy changes to be made.

That same month, the Tax Collector's Office revised its non-discrimination policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

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In January 2007, new leadership arrived in Tallahassee. Governor Jeb Bush, hardly a champion of civil rights, was replaced by Charlie Crist, a man who, during his campaign, emphasized his strong record on civil rights issues. Waiting on Governor Crist's desk on the day he was sworn into office was a letter from the Council asking him to issue an Executive Order assuring all Floridians that the State of Florida is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in state government to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. (In subsequent requests during Crist's term as governor, the Council's list was expanded to include gender identity and gender expression.) Although more than a dozen of these requests were made by the Council, at no time did Governor Crist ever issued the requested Executive Order.

In January 2007, the Town of Juno Beach revised its non-discrimination and harassment awareness policies to include "sexual orientation." In addition the Town revised the definition of "immediate family" with regard to bereavement leave to include an employee's "significant other."

Early in 2007, the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County updated its nondiscrimination policies in early 2007 to include sexual orientation. The SWA provides the full range of domestic partner benefits to its employees.

In February 2007, West Palm Beach updated the definition of "immediate family" in the city's Employee Handbook to include an employee's domestic partner's children and parents.

Later that month, the town of Hypoluxo amended its non-discrimination policy to read: It is the policy of the town that it shall not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation or disability.

In March 2007, Palm Tran extended continuation of health insurance coverage to employees' domestic partners and their children in the same manner as it had extended COBRA benefits to married employees and their children.

Also that month, Jupiter amended the town's non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation, marital status and familial status and to offer the full range of domestic partnership benefits to the town's 400 employees.

At PrideFest 2007, the Council recruited two lesbians to file charges of discrimination with the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity against the School District of Palm Beach County for charging higher health insurance premiums for employees with domestic partners than it charged for married employees. At the Council's request, ACLU of Florida co-operating attorney Jim Green handled the litigation. Ultimately, the OEO ruled against the School District, which settled with the plaintiffs and eliminated the disparate insurance premiums.

At the Council's request then state senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) and then state representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) introduced bills during the 2007 Florida legislative session to add sexual orientation as a protected class in the Florida Civil Rights Act and the Florida Fair Housing Act. Neither bill was received a public hearing.

Deutch and then state representative Shelley Vana (D-West Palm Beach) also introduced bills that session to add sexual orientation as a protected class in the Florida Educational Equity Act. While there was no hearing in the Senate, a House subcommittee discussed the bill and no further action was taken.

In March, 2007, the City of Largo Florida fired its long term city manager after it was disclosed in the media that the city manager intended to transition from male to female. The blatant act of discrimination caused the Council to move prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression to the top of the legislative agenda. (Ultimately, the city manager, Susan Stanton, was hired to serve as city manager for the City of Lake Worth Beach),

Reacting to Stanton’s firing in Largo, the City of West Palm Beach amended the city's Equal Opportunity Ordinance in May 2007 to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression in employment, housing and public accommodations. The ordinance covers businesses within city limits employing 15 or more workers, landlords, restaurant owners, and others. Later that month, Tequesta amended four village policies to protect its employees from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. In July 2007, Lake Worth Beach amended the city's Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression.

Following a widely publicized trial involving a juvenile convicted of assaulting a transgendered person in July 2007, the Council wrote to then Chief Judge Kathleen Kroll requesting that transgender issues be included in the diversity training required for all judges in 15th Judicial Circuit. The Council offered to have Cole Thaler, a nationally acclaimed attorney working on transgender issues for Lambda Legal, conduct a seminar in Palm Beach County for the judges and court personnel at no expense to the taxpayers. However, the offer was rejected. The Council and Lambda Legal continues to extend the offer to the local judiciary.

In August 2007, the village of Royal Palm Beach amended its Equal Employment Opportunity/ Americans with Disabilities Act Policy and its Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Later that month, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw agreed to update PBSO's nondiscrimination policy to specifically state that discrimination based on sexual orientation and marital status is prohibited. Sheriff Bradshaw also extended the same bereavement leave and access to employee assistance program employees with domestic partners as have long been enjoyed by married PBSO employees.

Much to the surprise of the Council, in late August 2007, Palm Beach State College President Dennis Gallon, a strong supporter of domestic partner benefits, requested the college’s Board of Trustees to offer domestic partner health insurance. However, a 2-2 vote prevented the measure from passing.

Months later, Palm Beach State College offered its employees the opportunity to purchase health insurance for their pets! The Council mounted a media campaign entitled “Puppies, not Partners!” and news of the colleges actions was published across the nation – and as far away as Uganda. (In September 2008, the college’s trustees voted to provide domestic partner health insurance coverage, which went into effect in 2009.)

In September 2007, the board of directors of the Palm Beach County Bar Association adopted the following anti-discrimination policy: The Palm Beach County Bar Association is committed to a policy of inclusion and diversity with respect to the composition of its staff, its membership, the chairs and members of its committees, and its officers. Consistent with this policy of promoting inclusiveness and diversity, the association does not discriminate against any individual because of such individual's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, familial status or responsibilities, U.S. military or veteran status, or age. No other county bar association in Florida has adopted a similar anti-discrimination policy.

By a slim majority the Commissioners of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County voted to extend domestic partner health insurance to the District's 700 employees in October, 2007.

On the state level, at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink became the first constitutional officer in Florida history to officially recognize our families by revising her office's sick leave policy to allow employees to opportunity to use sick leave to care for domestic partners.

In November 2007, Palm Beach Gardens City Council implemented basic domestic partner benefits for the city's 400 employees. City employees with domestic partners now have the same family benefits as married employees with regard to sick leave, bereavement leave and the city's Employee Assistance Program. Unfortunately, budget constraints continue to preclude the city from offering domestic partnership health insurance benefits.

In December, 2007, Palm Beach County Commissioners unanimously voted to amend both the county's Equal Employment Ordinance and the county's Fair Housing Ordinance to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on "gender identity or expression." Transgender people living and working anywhere in Palm Beach County may now file charges of discrimination with the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity in the event they feel they have been subjected to discrimination.

In late December 2007, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum informed the Council that while his office was unable to follow the lead of CFO Sink by specifically recognizing domestic partners, his office's sick leave policy had been revised to "provide enough latitude" to allow employees to opportunity to use sick leave to care for domestic partners.

In January 2008, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Charles Bronson informed the Council that his office's sick leave policy now allows employees to opportunity to use sick leave to care for domestic partners.

Taking a significant step forward, in February 2008, the Palm Beach County School Board unanimously voted to expand the definition of "family" in the School District's Leave of Absence policy to include employees' domestic partners and their children.

A permanent exhibit – And Justice for All – is included in Palm Beach County's renovated 1916 courthouse which opened in the Spring of 2008. The exhibit, which is required to be visited by all public school students, includes the following language requested by the Council: "Palm Beach County's Equal Employment and Fair Housing ordinances prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, familial status, marital status and sexual orientation." (When the exhibit is updated, "gender identity or expression" -- which were added to the ordinance in January, 2008 -- will be included).

In the 2008 regular session of the Florida Legislature, the Deutch-Skidmore civil rights legislation was reintroduced bills to amend the Florida Civil Rights Act and Florida's Fair Housing Act. While no action was taken in the House of Representatives, then-senator Deutch enlisted six Senate colleagues -- including then-Senator Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) -- to co-sponsor his bill. As a result of the bi-partisan efforts of Senators Deutch and Atwater, on April 8, the Senate Commerce Committee passed the bill (Four Republicans and three Democrats voted to pass S 572. One Republican voted against the bill). Unfortunately, time constraints prevented the bill from moving forward and the bill died when the legislature adjourned.

As referenced earlier, in June 2008, the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity ruled that the Palm Beach County School District's policy of charging higher health insurance premiums for employees with domestic partners than it charged for married employees is discriminatory.

Acting on requests made by the Council and by the Professional Fire Fighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County, in June 2008, the Village of Tequesta revised its three collective bargaining agreements and its employee handbook to include domestic partners as members of employee's immediate family. As a result, employees with domestic partners may now take bereavement leave in the same manner as employees who are married.

After more than three years of lobbying by the Council and the threat of additional litigation, in September 2009 the School District announced that the children of employees' domestic partners would become eligible for health insurance coverage in January, 2009.

Following a request from PBCHRC, in September 2008, the South Florida Water Management District amended its policies to prohibit harassment based on "gender identity or expression".

In October 2008, Palm Beach County's Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock informs the Council that she is updating her office's policies to prohibit discrimination and harassment based on "gender identity and expression."

That same month, at the Council's request both the West Palm Beach City Commission and the Lake Worth Beach City Commission unanimously passed resolutions urging voters to vote against the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment (Amendment 2). Unfortunately, the amendment passed statewide, embedding into Florida Constitution a discriminatory provision to prohibit gay men and lesbians from marrying their partners. Locally, more than a quarter of a million Palm Beach County voters (48.45%) rejected the discriminatory proposal. Palm Beach County was Florida's leading metropolitan area to oppose Amendments. Of Florida's 67 counties, only Monroe and Alachua Counties had higher percentages (52.04% and 48.83%, respectively).

In mid-November, at the Council's request, the board of Directors of Seacoast Utility Authority in Palm Beach Gardens extended family health, dental, disability and life insurance coverage to employees with domestic partners.

In early December, the School Board of Palm Beach County unanimously voted on second reading to include "sexual orientation" and "gender expression and/or identity" as protected classes in a comprehensive policy protecting students against bullying and harassment.

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During the 2009 legislative session, Sen. Deutch and Rep. Skidmore re-introduce legislation to amend the Florida Civil Rights Act and Florida's Fair Housing Act which would prohibit discrimination in employment and housing based on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression." No action is taken by the legislature.

As mentioned previously, with strong support from PBCHRC, Susan Stanton, a transsexual woman lobbied Congress on behalf of laws to protect gay and transgender people from employment discrimination, was hired by the Lake Worth Beach City Commission to serve as City Manager for Lake Worth Beach. Ms. Stanton, who had served as the City Manager of Largo, Florida, for 14 years, looks forward to a long tenure at the helm of one of Florida's most gay-friendly municipalities.

At the request of the Council, in July 2009, the School Board of Palm Beach County amended the School District's Commercial Nondiscrimination Policy to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The policy now prohibits the School Board from accepting bids or proposals from, or engaging business with, "any business firm that has discriminated on the basis of race, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other form of unlawful discrimination in its solicitation, selection, hiring, or treatment of another business."

In September 2009, the School Board of Palm Beach County adopted a policy granting School District employees with domestic partners, and the qualified children of domestic partners, access to the School District’s medical, dental and vision insurance. The policy also allows gay and lesbian employees who have been legally married in other jurisdictions to use a “government issued marriage certificate” as proof of eligibility for health insurance coverage.

Council representatives went to Tallahassee in January 2010 to meet with business lobbyists and key legislators about GLBT civil rights legislation. The state’s leading business lobbyists were candid in saying they would “kill” any bill that created any new causes of action that could be brought against their members. As a result, the Council decided not to expend any additional time or resources on a statewide GLBT civil rights bill until such time the atmosphere in Tallahassee changes.

In January 2010, Seacoast Utility Authority in Palm Beach Gardens expanded their domestic partnership benefits program — which already offered family health, dental, disability and life insurance coverage — to include sick leave, bereavement leave, family medical leave, health insurance continuation coverage and all other benefits offered to married employees.

In March 2010, Lake Worth Beach City Commission unanimously passed a resolution supporting legislation to repeal the 1977 law that prohibits gay and lesbian Floridians from adopting children. Later that month, the West Palm Beach City Commission considered a similar resolution.

Hours before the hearing, five protesters from the Church of all Nations of Boca Raton appeared outside West Palm Beach City Hall to urge the mayor and city commission to table the resolution. At the hearing, the church’s leader, Rev. Mark Boykin, urged the commissioners not to "undermine the fabric of a nuclear family." In response, PBCHRC President Rand Hoch urged commissioners to support the resolution, stating that "the issue is not whether children would be better off with gay parents or heterosexual parents, the issue is whether or not the children will have parents at all." Mayor Lois Frankel and each of the five city commissioners expressed their reasons for supporting the repeal of the adoption ban. The resolution passed unanimously.

In early April 2010, the Village of Wellington played host to the world's first international gay polo tournament. Following the event, PBCHRC enlisted the support of key individuals (both gay and non-gay) in Wellington’s equestrian community to encourage the Village to revise Wellington's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to provide the full range of domestic partner benefits to Village employees. In late June the Village Manager updated the policy accordingly and informed the Council that it was likely the Village would offer its employees domestic partner benefits before the second annual international gay polo tournament in April 2011.

In elections held in February, April and November 2011, longtime Council supporter Ted Deutch was victorious in his campaigns to succeed Robert Wexler in Congress. Having been elevated to the national stage, Ted continues to be a leading advocate for GLBT rights and has co-sponsored several pieces of legislation of importance to the GLBT community, including, but not limited to, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, the Student Nondiscrimination Act and the Uniting American Families Act.

While many registered voters opted to skip elections in 2010, GLBT voters — and our allies — responded overwhelmingly to the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance successful voter identification, voter education, early voting, absentee ballot and get-out-the-vote campaigns. As a result, 19 of the endorsed candidates were elected to office. These elected officials clearly understand that, as individuals and as family members, we are entitled to share in the rights, responsibilities and benefits enjoyed by all other Americans.

In December 2010, the Council wrote to Governor-elect Rick Scott, asking him to issue an executive order on his first day in office to assure all Floridians that the State of Florida is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in state government to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, pregnancy or marital status.

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On his first day in office, Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 11-04 on diversity in state government. The Council was very disappointed in the limited scope of the order, which failed to cover not only sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, but also religion, age, disability, pregnancy and marital status — all of which are protected classes under various federal and state laws.

Our experience tells us that pro-LGBTQ changes in statewide matters will not be forthcoming from our Governor and legislators in Tallahassee. They only will come from the courts such as the 2009 court opinions finally striking down the 33-year-old ban on adoption by gay and lesbian Floridians.

State Attorney Michael McAuliffe revised his office's Harassment Policy to include "gender identity or expression" and revised his office's Family Medical Leave Policy to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages.

In April, 2011, West Palm Beach city commissioners unanimously voted amend the city's Family and Medical Leave Policy to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages. The vote took place at the first city commission meeting presided over by Mayor Jeri Muoio -- a longtime advocate for equal benefits for non-traditional families.

In May 2011, the Village of Wellington updated its personnel policies to ensure that the domestic partners of Village employees were treated the same way as spouses with regard to health insurance benefits, as well as continuation health insurance coverage, bereavement leave, major illness leave, family and medical leave and domestic violence leave. Additionally, Public Defender Carey Haughwout revised her office's Family Medical Leave Policy to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages. At month's end. the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to amend the County's Family Medical Leave Policy to allow employees to use this leave to care for their domestic partners in the same manner as married employees can use it to care for their spouses.

In June 2011, both Sheriff Ric Bradshaw's office and Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock informed the Council that they would be revising their Family Medical Leave Policies to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages.

The Council has been meeting with public officials in the City of Palm Beach Gardens concerning LGBTQ issues since 2006. As a result, the City prohibits discrimination based on "sexual orientation" and provides its employees with bare bones domestic partnership benefits (which do not include health insurance or family and medical leave). Although the Council met with the City Manager and Human Resources Director in 2011 concerning updating the city's non-discrimination policy to include "gender identity or expression", and providing the full range of domestic partnership benefits for City employees, Palm Beach Gardens continues to refuse to provide equal protections and benefits to the City's GLBT employees.

In August, 2011, the Palm Beach County School Board unanimously voted to amend existing policies covering sexual harassment and discrimination against students. Both policies now include "sexual orientation" and "gender expression and/or identity" as protected classes. This action brings those policies into conformance with the School District's LGBTQ-inclusive anti-bullying policy which was adopted in 2009.

In October 2011, the Board of Trustees of Florida Atlantic University unanimously voted to add ”sexual orientation” to the school’s Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Regulation. However, since the Trustees refused to consider adding “gender identity or expression” and since the university refuses to provide domestic partnership benefits to its
employees, much work remains to be done at FAU.

In November 2011, the City of Lake Worth Beach informed the Council that was in the process of updating the City's union contracts and other personnel policies to ensure that lesbian and gay employees with domestic partners would have the same rights as other employees with regard to Family and Medical Leave, Sick Leave and Funeral Leave.

In January 2012, the Delray Beach City Commission unanimously voted to amend the City's Family Medical Leave Policy to allow employees to use this leave to care for their domestic partners in the same manner as married employees can use it to care for their spouses.

Days later, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners amended its Nondiscrimination in Contracting Policy to prohibit the County from doing business with -- or appropriating funds to -- public and private organizations which practice discrimination based on "gender identity or expression." Before the month ended, the West Palm Beach
Housing Authority added "gender identity or expression" to its nondiscrimination policy.

In April 2012, the Palm Beach County School Board created a 24 member School District Diversity and Equity Committee, which includes a representative appointed by PBCHRC and another appointed by Compass. West Palm Beach psychotherapist Mark Rutherford currently serves as our representative on the committee.

In May, 2012, PBCHRC research Assistant Michael Ira Thayer was was named to serve on the Platform Committee for the Democratic National Convention.

In June, 2012, Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock updated her office's Family and Medical Leave Policy to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages.

In July, 2012, Florida Atlantic University's Student Government unanimously passed a resolution recommending that FAU's Board of Trustees include "gender identity or expression" in the university's Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Regulation.

On September 25, 2012, the City of Boca Raton informed the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners that it would not sign an agreement with the Solid Waste Authority for a County grant to handle emergency response to hazardous materials for the sole reason that the contract required Boca Raton to agree to treat its employees equally without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. (A County ordinance requires LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination language to be included in County contracts).

Although County Commissioner Steven Abrams of Boca Raton asked the Board of County Commission to make an exception e and allow the City of Boca Raton to enter the contract without any reference to discrimination based on gender identity or expression, he received no support from his colleagues, who unanimously voted to give Boca Raton 60 days to either sign the contract with the LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination clause or forfeit over $1 million in funding.

PBCHRC immediately filed public records request to determine why the City of Boca Raton was willing to jeopardize over $1 million just so the city they could deny legal recourse to its LGBTQ employees.

Although our investigation is ongoing, PBCHRC learned that in 2011, Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelschel, Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie, and Council Members Anthony Mejhesa, Michael Mullaugh and Constance Scott voted unanimously to adopt City Ordinance No. 5161, which permitted Boca Raton to opt out of Palm Beach County’s Equal Employment Ordinance, which prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Within days, PBCHRC began the "Boca Bigots Run City Hall" media campaign by sending a letter to Mayor Whelschel and the Boca Raton City Council Members urging them to promptly rescind Ordinance No. 5161. The letter informed the Mayor and City Council that “your unanimous passage of Ordinance 5161 subjects each and every one of you to being considered the five most prejudiced and bigoted public officials in Palm Beach County – if not in all of Florida.” Both the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the South Florida Gay
News repeatedly wrote about the bigotry in Boca Raton.

In response to PBCHRC's media campaign (and to ensure the funding from the Solid Waste Authority), in October 2012, the Boca Raton City Council reversed its position and executed an agreement which included an LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination provision. In November, 2012, Superintendent E. Wayne Gent and Palm Beach County School Board Members Marcia Andrews, Frank Barbieri, Monroe Benaim, Karen Brill, Jennifer Prior Brown, Chuck Shaw and Debra Robinson issued a proclamation recognizing October as Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ) History Month.

In November, 2012, Tyler Francis Morrison, an openly gay student at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, addressed the Boca Raton City Council, urging them to rescind Ordinance No. 5161 and to update the city's nondiscrimination policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Following his
presentation, the City Council directed staff to look into updating the city's nondiscrimination policy. However, to date, the Boca Raton City Council has not rescinded Ordinance No. 5161. Nor has the Boca Raton City Council revised the city's nondiscrimination policies to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression

In conjunction with the "Boca Rigots Run City Hall" campaign, PBCHRC renewed our longstanding request that the City of Boca Raton provide the same family benefits to municipal employees with domestic partners as the city provides to employees whose marriages are recognized by the State of Florida. However, to date, the City has refused to offer any domestic partnership benefits.

In December, 2012, the Boca Raton City Council voted unanimously to appoint Tyler Francis Morrison to serve on the city's Community Relations Board.

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Building on the Council’s successes with public employers adopting policies mirroring COBRA (continuation of health care insurance coverage) and FMLA (family and medical leave), the Council’s new initiative for 2013 is to encourage public employers to address the inequity by which employees who obtain health insurance for their domestic partners though work must pay federal income taxes on the imputed value of their domestic partners’ health insurance benefits.

In January 2013, Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits and Palm Beach County Constitutional Tax Collector (and former PBCHRC Board Member) Anne Gannon both implement tax equity programs providing eligible employees with domestic partners a $500 annual stipend to offset the additional federal income taxes.

In January 2013, Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie met with PBCHRC concerning the pending issues in her city. Although she informed PBCHRC that she would ask the City Council to move forward on our pending requests to amend the City's nondiscrimination policy to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" and on having the city provide the full range of domestic partnership benefits using the Village of Wellington as a mode, to date, the City Council has taken no action.

In February 2013, the Boca Raton Community Relations Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council to amend its enabling ordinance to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression". That same month, the Town of South Palm Beach amends its nondiscrimination statement to include "sexual orientation" and "any other legally protected status."

In March 2013, Peter Elwell, Town Manager for the Town of Palm Beach, contacted PBCHRC to inform us that the Town's insurance consultant is in the process of preparing a comprehensive review of the Town's insurance programs for the Town Council. The review will include information concerning domestic partnership benefits. PBCHRC is very optimistic that the Town of Palm Beach will implement domestic partnership benefits before year's end. That same month, the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority amended its nondiscrimination policies to include "gender identity or expression."

In late April, 2013, West Palm Beach became the first city in Florida - and only the second city in the nation - to implement a tax equity policy to reimburse municipal employees insuring their domestic partners for the full amount of the additional federal income taxes which are assessed on employees whose domestic partners receive health insurance through their employers. As a result, the City of West Palm Beach leads the nation on domestic partnership benefits.

Also in April, the City of Delray Beach updated its policy against discrimination, harassment and bullying to include both "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression."
Because the City of Boca Raton has failed to take any corrective action on PBCHRC's requests regarding LGBTQ issues, PBCHRC reinstated our "Boca Bigots Run City Hall" campaign in April, 2013.

In recognition of PBCHRC's 25th Anniversary, in May, 2013, the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach invited openly gay poet Richard Blanco to conduct a poetry reading in honor of our organization.

In May, 2013, County Commissioner Mary Lou Berger, School Board Member Karen Brill and Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Wayne Richards each informed PBCHRC that they will be urging their colleagues to implement tax equity policies in their workplaces. Later that month, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio announced that she has appointed Robert Telford, a broadcast coordinator for the City's television station, to serve as the Mayor's Liaison to the City's LGBTQ community.

Working with Scouts for Equality, in May. 2013, PBCHRC assists in a petition drive to help convince Gulf Stream Council of the Boy Scouts of America to support dropping the ban on gay scouts.

That same month, PBCHRC begins work with Boynton Beach Community Relations Board Member Ben Lowe on developing an LGBTQ-inclusive draft of the Boynton Beach Civil Rights Act.

Throughout the Spring of 2013, Florida Atlantic University and the United Faculty of Florida were in negotiations concerning domestic partnership benefits for university employees. By June, the parties had agreed to offer limited domestic partner health benefits, including health insurance. However, the tentative agreement is subject to ratification of the entire collective bargaining agreement.

In May, 2013, PBCHRC appoints Board Member J.P. Sasser as our liaison to the Area Agency on Aging's LGBTQ Task Force to improve the lives of Palm Beach County's LGBTQ seniors.

In June, 2013, PBCHRC Vice President Jess Blackman participates in a continuing legal education seminar on marriage equality for The Florida Bar. Ironically, the seminar is held in Boca Raton.

In August, 2013, the Palm Beach Town Council voted 4-1 to update the Town's personnel policies to ensure that the domestic partners of Town employees will be treated the same way as employees' opposite-sex spouses with regard to health and dental insurance benefits, bereavement leave, illness in immediate family leave, family and medical leave and domestic partnership leave and access to the Town's employee assistance program.

In October, 2013, PBCHRC co-sponsored “Out of the Closet and In Your Office,” a seminar at Florida Coastal Law School in Jacksonville this October. PBCHRC Vice Chair Jessica Blackman, a graduate of Florida Coastal, worked extensively on the seminar.

PBCHRC held our 25th anniversary celebration at The Four Seasons, Palm Beach on November 19, 2013. West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio issued a proclamation declaring the day as "Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Day".

In January, 2014, Sharon Bock, the Clerk & Comptroller for Palm Beach County implemented a tax equity reimbursement policy to reimburse employees insuring their domestic partners for the full amount of the additional federal income taxes which are assessed on employees whose domestic partners receive health insurance through their employers.

In March, 2014, the ACLU of Florida and The SAVE Dade Foundation, representing Palm Beach Gardens residents Sloan Grimsley and Joyce Albu (and seven other Florida same-sex married couples), sued the State of Florida in federal court for recognition of their out-of-state marriages.

At the urging of openly-gay City Commissioner, Andy Amoroso, in March, 2014, the Lake Worth Beach City Commission voted unanimously to establish a domestic partnership registry and provide domestic partners heath care facility visitation rights and the ability to make health care decisions for each other. Additionally, a domestic partner will also be notified in the same manner as a family member in the event of an accident and in the event of a death, a domestic partner will be empowered to make funeral decisions.

During LGBTQ Pride Month (June 2014), Palm Beach County School Superintendent E. Wayne Gent implements an initiative placing gender studies contacts in every school to provide support for LGBTQ students. Later that month,PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch and PBCHRC Treasurer Dan Hall attend the LGBTQ Pride Month Reception at the White House with the President and First Lady.

In August 2014, Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Diana Lewis names Jason Simpson personal representative of his late husband’s estate. Although Judge Lewis was the fourth Florida Judge to rule that Florida's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, she was the first to recognize an out-of-state same-sex marriage.

Having considered a request by PBCHRC since 2007, in August, 2014, the West Palm Beach City Commission finally approved -- by unanimous vote -- an equal benefits ordinance requiring city contractors to provide the same family benefits to employees' same-sex spouses and (both same- and opposite-sex) domestic partners as the
contractors offer to employees' legally recognized (i.e., opposite-sex) spouses.

After only two months of lobbying by PBCHRC, in August, 2014, the Boynton Beach City Commission voted to amend the city's personnel policies to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression and voted to offer the full range of domestic partnership benefits to its municipal employees, effective Janaury 1, 2015. The City Commission also directed the City Attorney to draft a Civil Rights Ordinance and present it to them for consideration.

In October, 2014, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to implement a policy providing that the County will not do business with, or appropriate funds to, any public or private organization which practices discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability or genetic information. The new policy requires entities doing business with the County to submit copies of their complying nondiscrimination policies prior to entering into any contract with the County. Entities that lack written nondiscrimination policies shall be required to sign a statement affirming that their nondiscrimination policies are in conformance with the County's policies.

That same month, the Town of Lake Park updated its Equal Employment Policy to prohibit discrimination based on "gender identity or expression."

Following the re-election of Governor Rick Scott, PBCHRC renewed our request for the governor to issue an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination in state employment and contracting. However, the request was ignored.

By years' end, at the PBCHRC's request, both the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and the West Palm Beach City Commission voted to sign on to the marriage equality amicus briefs filed by the cities of Miami Beach and Orlando.

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Shortly after midnight on January 6, longtime PBCHRC supporters Mike Edmondson and Keith Musbach became the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Palm Beach County. Moments after the private ceremony, Sharon Bock, Palm Beach County's Constitutional Clerk & Comptroller held a mass wedding, marrying dozens of lesbian and gay couples.

Hours later, MorseLife, a West Palm Beach based senior health services provide, became the first privately held fully insured company in the Florida to offer coverage and benefits for married same-sex couples.

Later that day, Peyton McArthur, a longtime PBCHRC supporter, was sworn in as a Commissioner of The Port of Palm Beach. At the Commission Meeting, he urged his colleagues to include an LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination clause in the Port's contract with Bahamas Paradise Cruiseline -- and they voted unanimously to do so. Commissioner Peyton McArthur then pledged to have similar language included in all future contracts and agreements with the Port.

In February, 2015, at Mayor Muoio's request, West Palm Beach Police Chief Bryan Kummerlen appointed Lieutenant Gregory Babcock to serve as the police department's liaison to the city's LGBTQ community.

Later that week, at PBCHRC's request, the West Palm Beach City Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution asking the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners to update the Palm Beach County Ordinance for Equal Opportunity to Housing and Places of Public Accommodation to provide for a more expansive definition of "public accommodation."

In late February, 2015, the Farmworker Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County contacted the PBCHRC for assistance in updating its nondiscrimination policy. PBCHRC drafter a new policy, which was enacted, so that it now prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

March 2015 marked the launch of PBCHRC's Palm Beach County: You're Welcome! campaign -- and effort to encourage municipalities to enact LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinances and resolutions.

While the Boynton Beach City Commission had directed the City Attorney to draft a Civil Rights Ordinance in August, 2014 and present it to them for consideration, no action was taken until PBCHRC forced the issue by filing a public records request in January 2015 to obtain minutes of the meeting at which the direction was given. In March 2015, the Boynton Beach City Commission enacted an LGBTQ-inclusive Civil Rights Ordinance. Mayor Jerry Taylor, who opposed a similar ordinance back in 1993, cast the sole vote against adopting the Civil Rights Ordinance.

In the wake of Indiana's passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in April 2015, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio became the first mayor in Florida to place a travel ban on city-funded trips to Indiana. Mayor Muoio was the first mayor in Florida -- and the fourth mayor in the United States -- to impose a travel ban. The action was taken at PBCHRC's request. Once Indiana revised the law to specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Mayor Muoio rescinded the ban.

After years of lobbying by PBCHRC, on April 15, 2015, the Riviera Beach City Council updated the City's Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy to include both "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression."

In May 2015, the Greenacres City Council unanimously voted to enact an LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinance.

In 2015, PBCHRC established the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award, a scholarship to be awarded annually to local Palm Beach County LGBTQA+ high school seniors who have shown an interest in advocacy for the LGBTQ community. The award is named after Dan Hall, who has served as PBCHRC’s Treasurer for more than 25 years. Dan’s dedication and involvement with the Palm Beach County LGBTQ community has been nothing less than noteworthy and the scholarship supports one of Mr. Hall’s passions, creating a better tomorrow for Palm Beach County youth. In May 2015, the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award was presented to Ethan Kennedy of Oxbridge Academy.

In 2015, PBCHRC established the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award, a scholarship to be awarded annually to local Palm Beach County LGBTQA+ high school seniors who have shown an interest in advocacy for the LGBTQ community. The award is named after Dan Hall, who has served as PBCHRC’s Treasurer for more than 25 years. Dan’s dedication and involvement with the Palm Beach County LGBTQ community has been nothing less than noteworthy and the scholarship supports one of Mr. Hall’s passions, creating a better tomorrow for Palm Beach County youth. In May 2015, the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award was presented to Ethan Kennedy of Oxbridge Academy.

Thanks in great part to the efforts of PBCHRC volunteer Marcie Hall, a Delray Beach resident, in July 2016, the Delray Beach City Commission unanimously voted to enact an LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinance.

After decades of work by a team of FAU faculty, administrators and students led by Dr. Allan Barsky (with an assist from PBCHRC), Florida Atlantic University finally amended Regulation 5.010, Anti-discrimination and Anti-harassment, to include "gender identity and expression."

In September 2015, PBCHRC achieved one of our most significant civil rights achievements when Palm Beach County Commissioners unanimously voted to expand civil rights protections for minorities by amending the definition of "places of public accommodation" in the Palm Beach County Ordinance for Equal Opportunity to Housing and Places of Public Accommodation. The expanded definition now includes retail stores, schools, day care and senior centers, medical offices, funeral homes, bakeries, laundromats and virtually all other places of business throughout the county. While PBCHRC initially requested the amendment to address the retail discrimination known as "Shopping While Black", the amendment took on additional significance for the LGBTQ community as instances of discrimination against lesbian and gay couples in the wedding industry became more prevalent in 2015. As a result of the ordinance, wedding venues, bakeries and other service providers in the wedding industry may now be subject to lawsuits and fines of up to $50,000 in the event they are found to have refused services to gay and lesbian couples.

On the day of the historic vote, more than 130 LGBTQ and allied supporters honored Palm Beach County Commissioners for their leadership on civil rights issues at a reception held at Wine Scene in West Palm Beach. Commissioners Mary Lou Berger, Paulette Burdick, Melissa McKinlay, Priscilla Taylor and Shelley Vana attended the event, along with numerous other public officials.

Also in September 2015, the Lake Shore Town Council Members unanimously voted to adopt an LGBTQ-inclusive resolution supporting freedom from discrimination for all individuals.

In October 2015, the Wellington Village Council unanimously voted to enact an LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinance and the Haverhill Town Council adopted an LGBTQ-inclusive resolution supporting freedom from discrimination for all individuals.

In October 2015, the West Palm Beach City Commission voted to vastly expand the definition of "public accommodations" in the West Palm Beach Equal Opportunity Ordinance.

Acting on the request of a public school teacher, throughout the Fall of 2015, PBCHRC notified the members of the Palm Beach County School Board that specific offensive language in the School District’s collective bargaining agreement with the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association needed to be eliminated. The specific provision prohibited discrimination and harassment on based on a variety of protected classes, including “personal life style (including sexual orientation)”. PBCHRC worked closely on this endeavor with the negotiating team for Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association for several months. Finally, in November 2015, thanks in great part to the intervention of School Board Member Karen Brill, the School District’s negotiating team came to an agreement with the teachers' union to delete the offensive language and include “gender identity and/or gender expression” and “sexual orientation” in the Discrimination and Harassment provision.

In December 2015, after several months of negotiations with PBCHRC, the South Florida Water Management District announced that it would prohibits transgender workers from being harassed and discriminated against based on both "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" even if they work in a jurisdiction that has no LGBTQ-inclusive rights laws.

Following up on the 2015 LGBTQ-inclusive resolution supporting freedom from discrimination for all individuals adopted by the Haverhill Town Council, in January 2016, the Town updated its Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Harassment Policies to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression."

At their first meeting after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in January 2016, the Lake Worth Beach City Commission unanimously voted, to (1) amend the city’s Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, (2) amend the city’s Merit Services policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression and (3) to amend the city’s Procurement Code to ensure equal opportunity based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

At PBCHRC's request, the City of West Palm Beach added an LGBTQ web page to the City’s web site.

Following up on the 2015 LGBTQ-inclusive resolution supporting freedom from discrimination for all individuals adopted by the Lake Clarke Shores Town Council, in March 2016, the Town updated its Anti-Harassment Policies to include "gender identity or expression" as a protected class.

Two more openly LGBTQ candidates were elected to office in the March, 2016 municipal elections. Myra Koutzen was elected to serve as Mayor of Palm Beach County and Tonya Davis Johnson elected was to the Riviera Beach City Council.

In March, 2016, following the enactment of the extreme anti-LGBTQ legislation in North Carolina, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio became the second mayor in the United States -- and the first in Florida -- to place a travel ban on city-funded trips to North Carolina. The action was taken at PBCHRC's request. The following month, in the wake of the enactment of even more extreme anti-LGBTQ legislation in Mississippi, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio became the second mayor in the United States -- and the first in Florida -- to place a travel ban on city-funded trips to that state.

In May 2016, PBCHRC presented three high school seniors – Daniel Brassloff, Victor Espidol and Melanie Camejo Coffigny – with the Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award scholarships. Later that month, PBCHRC Secretary Rae Franks was presented with a Diversity Honors Award from the Harvey Milk Foundation. Rae was recognized for her tireless efforts on behalf of the county’s LGBTQ community for more than 25 years. In addition, PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch was named to serve on the Platform Committee for the Democratic National Convention.

In the wake of the June 12, 2016 massacre of 49 LGBTQ people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, PBCHRC sent Governor Rick Scott a third request to issue an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination in state employment and contracting. To date, Governor Scott has refused to even acknowledge to our request.

On July 1, in response to a request by PBCHRC, the City of West Palm Beach became the first public employer in Palm Beach County -- and one of the first in Florida -- to provide transgender related care for municipal employees. Just days later, the West Palm Beach City Commission unanimously voted to update its procurement code to expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

In mid-July, PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch succeeded in having the Democratic Party Platform include the party's commitment to ensure that transgender individuals will have access to necessary healthcare.

In September, at the direction of the Honorable Jeffrey Colbath, Chief Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, two administrative orders were updated. Administrative Order 11.701, Civil Rights Complaint Procedure was amended to specifically include complaints of discrimination based on "gender identity or expression." Administrative Order 11.702, Code of Conduct for Non-Judicial Employees was amended to prohibit discrimination based on "gender identity and expression."

In October, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Equality Federation released its fifth annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI). The City of West Palm Beach was one of only 60 cities nationwide to earn a perfect score in the MEI ranking.

During the summer and fall, PBCHRC mounted a campaign urging the City of West Palm Beach to prohibit conversion therapy for minors. In response, The Liberty Counsel, an anti-LGBTQ hate group, threatened to file suit against the city if a ban was enacted. Local religious extremists also peppered City Hall with petitions opposing the ban and spoke out against the ban at two public hearings. However, it was clear from the outset that Mayor Jeri Muoio and the city commissioners committed to taking the necessary steps to protect LGBTQ children living West Palm Beach. On November 7 the city commissioners unanimously voted to enact a citywide ban, which went into effect that day.

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On January 10, the Lake Worth Beach City Commission voted unanimously to enact an ordinance banning the practice of conversion therapy for minors living within city limits.

The following week, the Boynton Beach City Commission also voted unanimously to enact an ordinance banning the practice of conversion therapy for minors living within city limits.

While the County was in the process of updating the Palm Beach County Ordinance for Equal Opportunity to Housing and Places of Public Accommodation, PBCHRC succeeded in convincing the County Commissioners to update the definition of "sexual orientation" from "male or female homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality, by preference or practice" to "heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or asexuality, whether actual or perceived."

In March 2017, the West Palm Beach City Commission unanimously adopts an LGBTQ-inclusive Welcoming City resolution designating the City of West Palm Beach as a Welcoming City.

In May 2017, PBCHRC Treasurer Dan Hall is awarded the Diversity Honors award by the Harvey Milk Foundation. In addition, PBCHRC was successful in having the cities of Delray Beach and Riviera Beach enact -- by unanimous votes -- bans on conversion therapy for minors.

The 2017 Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Awards were presented to Boynton Beach High School senior Jax Martin and A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts senior Matthew Nadel in June 2017. That same month, PBCHRC Board Member Michael Duquette Fowler addressed the the Palm Beach Gardens City Council as they considered a resolution opposing conversion therapy for minors. Following his presentation, the City Council unanimously voted to pass the resolution, PBCHRC is continuing to encourage Palm Beach Gardens to take the next step -- enacting an ordinance prohibiting conversion therapy for minors within city limits.

In June 2017, the Wellington Village Council held two public hearings at PBCHRC request on an ordinance to ban the conversion therapy for minors. At both hearings, Dr. Julie Harren Hamilton, a Palm Beach Gardens psychologist who is an outspoken advocate for what she calls "sexual orientation change therapy", urged the Village Council not to enact the ban. (Dr. Hamilton had previously spoken against banning conversion therapy at the Palm Beach County Commission, the West Palm Beach City Commission and the Delray Beach City Commission, but to no avail). Dr. David Pickup, the leading advocate of what he calls "reparative therapy" (and who is prohibited from practicing it in California)) also tried to convince the Village Council that it was possible to change the sexual orientation and gender identity of LGBT children through therapy. However, these two quacks were no match for Dr. Rachel Needle, a local psychologist who is Florida's leading expert on the harms of conversion therapy. (Dr. Needle had already convinced elected officials in West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Riviera Beach and Delray Beach of the harms of conversion therapy -- and each municipality enacted an ordinance banning it). The Liberty Counsel, a national anti-LGBT legal organization, sent a letter threatening to file suit if Wellington banned conversion therapy. (While the organization had sent similar letters to Palm Beach County, the City of West Palm Beach and the City of Delray Beach, to date, no lawsuits have been filed). An administrator from Kings Academy, a local Christian school, spoke out against the ban a both hearings. His wife, wife, mother and even his teenage son all joined him in speaking out in opposition. Several other self-described Christian residents also spoke out against the ban. It was obvious by the comments made by a majority of the Village Council Members at both public hearings that Dr. Needle was far more persuasive than Drs. Hamilton and Pickup.

At First Reading on June 13, Vice Mayor John McGovern, Councilwoman Tanya Siskind and Councilmen Michael Napoleone and Michael Drahos all voted in favor of the ban, Mayor Anne Gerwig was the sole opponent. However, at Final Reading on June 27, Councilman Drahos, possibly swayed by sheer number of Christian residents/voters who spoke in opposition to the ban, changed his vote, joining Mayor Gerwig in opposition to the ban. However, with the three votes cast by Vice Mayor McGovern, Councilwoman Siskind and Councilman Napoleone, the ban was enacted and took effect immediately.

In August 2017, the Greenacres City Council voted 4-1 to enact a a ban on conversion therapy for minors. The sole vote against the ordinance was cast by Councilman Peter Noble. Councilman Noble, who initially voted against directing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance for consideration by the City Council, surprised everyone at First Reading by voting in favor of the ban. However, at Final reading, he again flip-flopped and voted against the ban. Regardless, the ban took effect upon passage.

Recognizing that having LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum and supportive staff will increase attendance, decrease discipline issues, and increase academic performance, Superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa announced that an in-house publication, the "LGBTQ+ Critical Support Guide" would be used in classrooms throughout the School District of Palm Beach County.

In October 2017, at the request of Mayor Susan Haynie, the Boca Raton City Council considered -- and enacted -- an ordinance banning conversion therapy for minors by licensed professionals. The ordinance passed by a vote of 4-1 on Final Reading, with Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers casting the sole "no" vote. The ban took effect upon passage.

Following an eighteen month campaign, in December 2017, Palm Beach County became the first county in Florida – and the largest county in the United States – to enact a ban on conversion therapy for minors.. The ban covers the 39 municipalities within the county, as well as the unicorprated areas of Palm Beach County.

The campaign was headed by PBCHRC Board member Trent Steele, who worked closely with the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Center For Lesbian Rights and SAVE. PBCHRC President Rand Hoch, Vice President Carly Cass, Past President Jamie T. Foreman-Plakas and Board Members Meredith Ockman, Michael Fowler, Marcie Hall and Hutch Floyd all addressed public officials at the public hearings which resulted in the enactment of eight municipal bans --in addition to the countywide ban.

In April 2018, the Lake Worth Beach City Commission unanimously adopts an LGBTQ-inclusive Welcoming City resolution designating the City of Lake Worth Beach as a Welcoming City.

In June 2018, conversion therapy practitioners Julie Hamilton and Robert Otto, aided by the Liberty Counsel, filed a lawsuit in federal court against Palm Beach County and the City of Boca Raton in an attempt to nullify the conversion therapy bans. The suit was virtually identical to a lawsuit brought by the Liberty Counsel in an attempt to nullify the conversion therapy ban enacted in Tampa.

The Village of Royal Palm Beach adopted an LGBT-inclusive civil rights resolution in July 2018.

At PBCHRC's request, in September 2018, West Palm Beach City Commissioner Kelly Shoaf introduced an LGBTQ-inclusive resolution affirming the city's commitment to address and eliminate bullying at city facilities and in city programs. The resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote of the City Commission.

In October 2018, the Palm Beach County School Board members unanimously voted to adopt an Equity Policy to show their commitment to eliminating race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or socioeconomic status as predictors for academic success.

A daylong hearing was held in October 2018 before U.S. District Court Judge Robin Rosenberg in Robert W. Otto and Julie H. Hamilton v. City of Boca Raton and County of Palm Beach, the case brought by conversion therapy practitioners represented by Liberty Counsel, who were seeking a temporary injunction to prevent the two conversion therapy bans from taking effect pending a full trial in 2019 on the constitutionality of the bans. Lawyers from Liberty Counsel argued that conversion therapy bans violated the therapists free speech rights and religious beliefs. They tried to convince the court that the temporary injunctions were necessary because their clients were prevented from helping LGBTQ minors who want to turn heterosexual.

On our side, Assistant Palm Beach County Attorney Rachel Fahey told the court that sexual orientation and gender identity can't be changed by a licensed provider and that there was nothing in the ordinances that would prevent mental health providers from counseling or providing "talk therapy" to minors concerned with their sexual identities. Fahey argued that the bans were necessary to protect LGBTQ youth from serious harm resulting from being subjected to conversion therapy. A decision from Judge Rosenberg is expected early in 2019

In November 2018, Michelle Sylvester, an open lesbian, was elected to serve on the Board of Supervisors of the Palm Beach County Soil and Water Conservation District.

In November 2018, the Palm Beach County School Board members unanimously voted to amend the District's Commitment to Students, to prohibit discrimination and harassment by educators based on students' sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

In November, after PBCHRC received complaints concerning Spirit Day events for a dozen Palm Beach County elementary schools at Chick-fil-A stores, PBCHRC enlisted School Board Member Karen Brill to urge the School Board to take steps to ensure that the School District ceases doing business with Chick-fil-A and other companies that discriminate against LGBTQ people and other minorities.

In December, PBCHRC provided draft language to Secretary of Agriculture & Consumer Services-elect Nikki Fried, PBCHRC to assist her in developing office policies to ensure equal rights, protections and benefits to the Department's LGBTQ employees. PBCHRC also requested Governor-elect Ron DeSantis to issue an executive order assuring Floridians that the state is committed to equal opportunity in government employment and contracting, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or marital status.

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On the day Ron DeSantis was sworn in as Governor, he issued Executive Order #2019-10 which reaffirmed the state’s prohibit of discrimination in government employment and contracting on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, or disability. However, despite PBCHRC's request, he did not include sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Fortunately, Secretary of Agriculture & Consumer Services Nikki Fried did update her department's policies to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity -- a first for a Cabinet Member in Florida.

For eleven consecutive legislative sessions since 2010, Equality Florida has failed to get the Florida Legislature to move forward with the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), a bill which, if enacted, would amend the Florida Civil Rights Act to prohibit employment discrimination against LGBTQ Floridians. FCWA would also amend Florida's Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ Floridians in housing and limited public accommodations. However, even if FCWA becomes law, it will still be legal in more than 75% of Florida's counties for LGBTQ people to be discriminated against in bakeries and flower shops, schools, gyms and health spas, golf courses, day care centers, senior citizen centers, medical offices, hospitals, adoption agencies, grocery stores, clothing stores, shopping centers, banks, accountants' and lawyers' offices, pharmacies, insurance agencies, museums, libraries, galleries, parks, zoos, amusement parks, laundromats and dry-cleaners, barber shops and beauty shops, funeral parlors, homeless shelters, and almost all other places where people gather.

Seeking a new approach in 2019, Senator Joe Grueters (R-Sarasota) and State Representative Javier Fernández introduced the Florida Inclusive Workforce Act (FIWA) on behalf of SAVE Florida. The bill focused on the key discrimination issue facing LGBTQ Floridians - job discrimination. If it had been enacted into law, FIWA would amend the Florida Civil Rights Act to prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill did not attempt to amend Florida's Fair Housing Act.

PBCHRC joined SAVE Florida, Translatina, Conservatives on the Right of Equality, former State Representative David Richardson and numerous LGBTQ activists around the state in support of FIWA. Both the West Palm Beach and the Lake Worth Beach City Commissions adopted resolutions urging all of the legislators in Palm Beach County to support FIWA. State Senators Lori Berman (D-Lantana), Bobby Powell (D-Riviera Beach), and Kevin Rader (D-Boca Raton) and State Representatives Joe Casello (D-Boynton Beach), Al Jacquet (D-Lantana), Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton), David Silvers (D-Lake Clarke Shores) and Matt Willhite (D-Wellington) all became early FIWA co-sponsors. However, FIWA failed to get a hearing in either the Florida Senate or House of Representatives. The bill was not reintroduced in 2020.

In January 2019, PBCHRC joined the Florida Hate Crime Coalition to help garner support for a bill co-sponsored by State Senator Kevin Rader (D-Boca Raton) and Representative Joe Geller (D-Aventura) to extend Florida's Hate Crimes laws to include "gender identity." Although the bill had been repeatedly introduced, it has yet to be enacted into law.

In February 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Robin Rosenberg issued a 60-page ruling denying the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in Robert W. Otto and Julie H. Hamilton v, City of Boca Raton and County of Palm Beach, the case brought by two conversion therapy practitioners represented by Liberty Counsel seeking to overturn two of the conversion therapy bans in effect in Palm Beach County. Judge Rosenberg's ruling handed LGBTQ children in Palm Beach County a significant victory. At least for the time being, young LGBTQ people in Palm Beach County remain safe from the psychological abuse caused by a handful of quacks who would like to resume practicing conversion therapy here. Immediately following Judge Rosenberg's ruling, Liberty Counsel appealed her decision to the United States Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit.

Oral argument was held in federal court in Miami on February 11, 2020. The three judges who presided over the case include two new judges appointed by President Trump and one who was appointed by President Obama. We await a ruling later this year.

In a related case, things did no go well. In 2019, Judge William Jung of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted Liberty Counsel's clients motion for a preliminary injunction preventing the City of Tampa’s conversion therapy ban from taking effect. Therefore, it remains legal for conversion therapy practitioners in Tampa to continue to "treat" children with "talk therapy" pending a trial. The City of Tampa appealed the order to the U.S. District Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit. While the City of Tampa and the Liberty Counsel have filed their briefs, no date has been set for oral argument.

Ty Penserga, an openly gay man, was elected to the Boynton Beach City Commission in March 2019. He was re-elected in 2020.

In April, 2019, SeniorAdvice.com, one of the country's leading senior housing referral services, issued its rankings of most friendly municipalities in the United States for LGBTQ retirees. West Palm Beach was ranked #2 The report issued by SeniorAdvice.com recognized that the City of West Palm Beach "has blazed a trail for other Florida cities and cities across the nation in their demonstration of support and policies protecting their LGBTQ community."

At PBCHRC's request, in May 2019, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw created an LGBTQ Liaison Unit to promote a positive relationship between PBSO and the LGBTQ community. PBCHRC Board Member Chauncey Graham is working with the unit to assist in the development of policies and protocols. Only two other sheriff's departments in Florida had established similar units at that time.

In July 2019, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners amended the definition of “sexual orientation" in the County’s Ordinance for Housing and Places of Public Accommodation from "male or female homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality, by preference or practice" to "heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or asexuality, whether actual or perceived."

The City of Lake Worth Beach adopted an LGBTQ-inclusive resolution in November 2019, affirming its commitment to address and eliminate bullying at city facilities and in city programs.

As 2019 came to a close, Palm Beach County, the cities of Delray Beach and West Palm Beach, and the Village of Wellington signed onto the appellate brief filed by the City of Miami Beach in opposition to the decision of an Orange County circuit court judge which nullified that county's LGBT-inclusive Human Rights Ordinance. The appellate court’s ruling is expected to be issued in 2020.

In response to PBCHRC’s All Gender Restroom Initiative, in 2020, Palm Beach County, the City of Boynton Beach and the City of West Palm Beach designated the single-occupancy restrooms in properties they own as All Gender.

After two openly gay candidates faced off in campaigns to serve on the Haverhill Town Council, Ray Caranci defeated the incumbent councilmember, becoming Palm Beach County’s newest openly LGBTQ-candidate. Unfortunately, the openly-LGBT incumbent Mayor of Palm Beach Shores, was defeated in her bid for re-election.

To encourage LGBTQ people to complete the 2020 Census, in the spring of 2020 PBCHRC Board Member Tamara Sager joined the Palm Beach County Multicultural Committee and Complete Count Committee. As a result, PBCHRC was named a “trusted voice” for the 2020 U.S. Census.

At PBCHRC's request, the City of West Palm Beach amended its Equal Opportunity Ordinance by extending protection from discrimination to employees working for small businesses (those with 5-14 employees). In conjunction with PBCHRC's Palm Beach County: You're Welcome campaign, the City of Westlake and the Village of North Palm Beach enacted LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinances.

In conjunction with PBCHRC's Palm Beach County: You're Welcome campaign, the towns of Haverhill and Juno Beach, the cities of Riviera Beach, South Bay, and Westlake, and the Village of North Palm Beach enacted LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinances.

Both Palm Beach County and the City of West Palm Beach amended their Equal Opportunity Ordinances by extending protection from discrimination to employees working for small businesses (those with 5-14 employees).

In March 2020, Ty Penserga, an openly gay man, was re-elected to the Boynton Beach City Commission. Ray Caranci, also an openly gay man, was elected to the Haverhill Town Council.

The 2020 Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Awards were presented to graduating seniors Kyle Ahern and Theo Shusterman of the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and to Endora Guillaume of Park Vista Community High School in May 2020.

In June 2020, PBCHRC Board Member G. Joseph Garcia was named Chair of PBCHRC Charitable Foundation. Joseph was also named to the Board of Directors for the FSU Pride Alumni Network. PBCHRC Board Member Jasmin Lewis was elected to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, which was held virtually in August 2020. Jasmin was also named a Victory Fund Empowerment Fellow. PBCHRC Board Member Chauncey Graham was appointed to serve on the West Palm Beach Task Force for Racial and Ethnic Equality. Chauncey was also selected for Leadership Florida Connect 2021.

In September 2020, the City of Palm Beach Gardens adopted a resolution denouncing hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ people.

Emmy Kenny was appointed to serve as PBCHRC’s representative on the School District’s Diversity and Equity Committee.

Port of Palm Beach Commissioners unanimously voted to add "gender identity or expression" to the Port's Equal Opportunity Statement for all Port policies and contracts in October 2020.

In November 2020, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an initial ruling in Otto and Hamilton v. the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County – the federal case by which the anti-LGBTQ hate group Liberty Counsel is seeking to overturn a ruling upholding two of the conversion therapy bans enacted during PBCHRC's two year campaign to protect children from the harms of conversion therapy. The two Trump appointees on the panel issued the opinion to strike down the bans unconstitutional based on First Amendment grounds. The sole Obama appointee on the panel dissented. In response, the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County immediately filed a Joint Petition for Panel Rehearing by the full Eleventh Circuit. The cities of Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach, all joined the City of Miami's amicus brief in support of the Joint Petition for Rehearing .Fortunately, the Eleventh Circuit refused to issue a mandate based on the panel's ruling, which is good news, as it allows the ban to remain in effect. As of April 2022, the Eleventh Circuit had not ruled on the Joint Petition.

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After years of lobbying by PBCHRC, in February 2021, the Town of Lake Park finally enacted an LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinance reinstating the civil rights of LGBTQ people in the Town which Commissioners had eliminated in 2018. As a result, LGBTQ people throughout all of Palm Beach County are once again protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

PBCHRC Vice President Meredith Ockman was appointed to serve on the Palm Beach County Housing Authority's Family Self-sufficiency Program Coordinating Committee and PBCHRC Board Member Jasmin Lewis was presented the Palm Beach County Democratic Party Black History Community Award.

In a huge victory for gender nonconforming students, in February 2021, the School District of Palm Beach County issued a requirement that only gender-neutral caps and gowns would be used at high school graduations.

In April 2021, West Palm Beach City Commissioners designated H.G. Roosters -- the oldest LGBTQ bar in Florida -- as a Historic Preservation Site.

In May, the 2021 Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Awards were presented to graduating seniors Sol Lima of Jupiter Community High School, Ekko Greenbaum of Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and Vanessa Whittle of Royal Palm Beach High School. In addition, the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation established the W. Trent Steele Legal Advocacy Awards -- scholarships for second and third year law school students from Palm Beach County.

Pride month -- June 2021 -- started off on a very high note. Progress Pride colors illuminated Nancy Graham Centennial Square and Fountain and the surrounding buildings at a special Clematis By Light display to kick off LGBTQ Pride. Palm Tran, the public transit system serving Palm Beach County, rolled out its “Ride with Pride” bus, which was wrapped in colors of the Progress Pride Flag. Throughout LGBTQ Pride Month, the bus was in service on the system's most visible route, running from Palm Beach Gardens to Boca Raton, in great part along U.S. Highway 1. In addition, Palm Beach County Commissioners established an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

In honor of LGBTQ Pride month, city officials in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach dedicated permanent public LGBTQ artworks -- the West Palm Beach LGBTQ Pride rainbow crosswalks in Northwood Village and the Boynton Beach and Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersections. While the public ribbon cutting ceremonies for the Pride Intersections in Boynton Beach and Delray Beach were festive and well attended, the joy did not last very long.

On June 14, 2021, just two days after the dedication of the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection, anti-gay activist Alexander Jerich of Lake Worth Beach attended a Donald Trump birthday rally sponsored by the Republican Party of Palm Beach County. The event included a parade during which Jerich drove his pickup truck (with a Trump banner waving in the wind), through the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection, scarring the intersection with 15 foot black "burnouts" he created with the truck's tires. One of his colleagues caught the crime on his mobile phone camera and the video went viral. The Delray Beach Police Department wasted no time in tracking down and arresting Jerich. After a thorough investigation, they recommended Jerich be charged with a hate crime, criminal mischief over $1,000, and reckless driving.

PBCHRC asked State Attorney Dave Aronberg to consider charging Jerich under a newly-enacted Combating Public Disorder Act for damaging a public memorial. Much to the dismay of the LGBTQ community, Aronberg not only refused to charge Jerich with a hate crime, he also refused to apply the law to protect public memorials. As a result, Jerich was only charged with criminal mischief and reckless driving. Bail was set at only $1,000 and Jerich was released from jail within hours of his arrest.

In September 2021, the Village of Royal Palm Beach designated all single-occupancy restrooms in the soon to be constructed Village Hall as Gender Neutral.

For the first time in Village history, Wellington participated in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Municipal Equality Index project. Wellington earned a perfect score, as did the City of West Palm Beach.

PBCHRC Board Member Sean Conklin was appointed to the Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Board in November 2021 and Emmy Kenny, who represents PBCHRC on the School District's Diversity and Equity Committee, was elected to serve on the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance.

In December 2021, State Senator Tina Polsky and State Representative Emily Slosberg filed legislation to expand Florida's hate crimes protections to include those committed against government-owned properties such as the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection. Throughout the month, PBCHRC was featured in On The Town in The Palm Beaches with Frank Licari on PBS.

At the urging of Governor Ron DeSantis, several bills which would have a significantly negative impact on the LGBTQ community were introduced in the Florida Legislature -- including the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

After the 2022 Legislative Session began, Emmy Kenny convinced her colleagues on the School District's Diversity and Equity Committee.to take action. Emmy drafted a letter condemning the legislation. which was adopted by the Committee. Having received the letter, the Palm Beach County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Michael Burke revised Emmy's draft and sent a joint letter to the Florida Legislature condemning anti-LGBTQ legislation. Emmy later testified before the Florida House of Representatives Education Committee again the enactment of anti-LGBTQ legislation and helped organize the tremendously successful "Stand up for our Rights" Rally on March 1, 2022 in West Palm Beach, which drew attention to the legislation. Unfortunately the "Don't Say Gay" and "Stop Woke" bills were passed with the overwhelming support of Republican legislators and they were signed into law by Governor DeSantis.

PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch presented a history of pro-LGBTQ legislation at the South Palm Beach County Bar Association's "Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation Protections in the Workplace" roundtable.

In March 2022, the voters of the City of Boynton Beach elected Ty Penserga as the city's Mayor. He became the first openly LGBTQ Mayor of Boynton Beach and the sixth openly LGBTQ mayor elected in Palm Beach County.

As the trial date for Alexander Jerich approached, on March 2, 2022, he pleaded guilty to all felony and misdemeanor charges to avoid going to trial.

In early April, PBCHRC and the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation filed a Victim Impact Statement to assist Circuit Court Judge Scott Suskauer in determining an appropriate sentence for Jerich. PBCHRC has asked that Jerich be convicted of the felony he committed, which would result in Jerich losing his rights to vote and legally own a gun. PBCHRC has also asked that Jerich be required to spend a year in jail. We repeated our request at the initial sentencing hearing on April 21, PBCHRC requested the court to require Jerich to spend time behind bars, as part of his sentence. Judge Susskauer thanked PBCHRC and he ordered Jerich to submit a 25-page essay on the victims of the Pulse Nightclub massacre.

However, at the June 7 Final Sentencing hearing for June 8, Judge Suskauer ignored our requests sentenced Jerich to two years of probation, withholding adjudication. He also ordered Jerich to perform 100 hours of community service, undergo a mental health evaluation, and pay court costs of $774.00.

In the Order, Judge Suskauer’s instructed Jerich to “live without violating any law. A conviction in a court of law is not necessary for such a violation of law to constitute a violation of your probation...” But within a few weeks, it became obvious that Jerich did not respect the court’s order.

On July 4 and 11, residents in unincorporated Lake Worth filed complaints with PBSO, reporting Jerich revving up his vehicle, damaging the field adjacent to their homes. The homeowners provided PBSO with photos and videos taken by security cameras of Jerich and the damage he caused. Despite the clear photo of Jerich and the identification of his vehicle, Jerich denied being involved when PBSO went to his home to question him. Although PBSO informed Jerich’s Probation Officer of the incident, the probation officer did not find the offense significant enough to report the incident to Judge Suskauer. Therefore PBCHRC sent a letter to Judge Suskauer seeking an investigation regarding Jerich’s possible violation of probation. However, Judge Susskauer took no action against Jerich.

In July, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a ruling refusing to reconsider a three-judge panel decision that struck down the conversion therapy bans enacted in Palm Beach County and Boca Raton. As a result of the ruling, young LGBTQ+ people throughout Florida, Alabama and Georgia are at risk from the psychological abuse caused by conversion therapy.

In order to prevent this case from proceeding to the U.S. Supreme Court, PBCHRC asked Palm Beach County Commissioners and Boca Raton City Commissioners to repeal their bans, which they did, thus making the legal issue moot.

In October, the Village of Wellington for hosted the Inaugural Florida LGBTQ+ Liaison Summit, which was sponsored by Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried

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At the City Commission meeting on January 9, 2023, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James formally recognized PBCHRC's 35th anniversary and presented our board with a Tribute. He also presented PBCHRC President and Founder with a Key to the City.

Hundreds of PBCHRC supporters gathered at a private home in Palm Beach on January 14, 2023 to celebrate our 35th anniversary at the annual Winter Fête.

On February 23, 2023.PBCHRC Co-Secretary Rhonda Williams was recognized by Compass as a Legacy Project honoree for her activism in support of the transgender community. Her blog now has more than 5 million viewers worldwide. (rhondasescape.com)

On March 2, 2023, PBCHRC President Rand Hoch was a panelist on the "No Hate in Palm Beach County Town Hall" sponsored by County Cimmission Mayor Gregg Weiss.

Having lost the federal appeal to protect their rights to ban conversion therapy, the City of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County were required to pay the two conversion therapy practitioners who bought the case a total of $125,000.00.

In April, 2023 Richeley Cajuste. a senior at Palm Beach Lakes High School was awarded the PBCHRC Social Justice Award, a $2500 college scholarship.

On June 1, 2023, the first day of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a man with his face hidden by his motorcycle helmet intentionally defaced the Boynton Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection. Although there were no witnesses to the crime, the act was caught on the City's surveillance cameras. Unfortunately, the cameras did not capture the license plate number, and the vandal has not been identified or prosecuted.

On June 5, 2003, the Boynton Beach City Commission passed a resolution declaring the LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection to be a permanent historical installation and approved a plaque being installed at the intersection.

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County hosted its first "A Place for Pride" exhibition, which ran from June 5 through July 29 at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum in downtown West Palm Beach. PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch and Compass Chief Executive Officer Julie Seaver were two of the speakers at the Society's reception celebrating the exhibit on June 9, 2023.

On June 7, 2023 more than 100 PBCHRC supporters celebrated Pride at our annual Pride Happy Hour at Meat Market Palm Beach.

PBCHRC was presented a "True North Award" by Compass at the Stonewall Ball on June 24, 2023.

At the end of Pride Month, the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation awarded longtime volunteer Michael Thayer a scholarship to pursue his Masters Degree in social work so he may better assist LGBTQ+ youth and seniors. The funding for the scholarship came from the bequest of Norman L. Stern and August R. Venezio.

In August 2023, doors opened for students at Dr. Joaquín García High School, the first high school in Palm Beach County named in honor of an LGBTQ+ and Hispanic civic leader.

At the request of PBCHRC, on September 5, 2023, the City of Lake Worth Beach unanimously adopted a resolution put forward by Mayor Betty Resch declaring Lake Worth Beach to be a sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ people. This was the first -- and possibly the only -- time a Florida municipality has taken this step to welcome and protect LGBTQ+ people.

In September 2023, PBCHRC President Rand Hoch received a President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Service by the Points of Light Foundation.

In December 2023, the United States Supreme Court Justices voted 6 to 3 against taking up the constitutionality of conversion therapy bans. The issue made it to SCOTUS based on a conflict between a federal appellate court ruling out of the State of Washington, which upheld the bans, and the federal court appellate ruling out of Florida, striking down the bans enacted by the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County. This was a big - but temporary - victory for LGBTQ+ youth nationwide. Justices Alito, Kavanaugh and Thomas were the three that voted to hear the case, so we need to be very concerned that this issue will arise again in the upcoming years.

On December 21, 2023, Circuit Court Judge Scott Suskauer terminated the probation of Alexander Jerich, the anti-LGBTQ+ activist who defaced the Delray Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection in June 2021 following a Donald Trump birthday celebration sponsored by the Republican Party of Palm Beach County. Although Jerich had not completed the two year probation period, Judge Suskauer once again showed leniency to this anti-LGBTQ+ criminal -- and insensitivity to the LGBTQ+ community. Since Judge Suskauer previously withheld adjudication on Jerich's convictions, Jerich no longer has any criminal convictions on his record. Judge Suskauer's rulings are a stain on the justice system in Palm Beach County.

Hundreds of PBCHRC supporters gathered at a private home in Boca Raton on January 13, 2024 for our annual Winter Fête.

On January 16, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Robin Rosenberg, rejected a request by Liberty Counsel, an anti-LGBTQ+ law firm, to be paid more than $2.2 million dollars for successfully representing the two conversion therapy practitioners from Boca Raton and Palm Beach County who got the conversion therapy bans struck down by a federal appeals court. She awarded Liberty Counsel "only" $736,887.45.

On February 4, 2024, Dylan Brewer, a 19 year old from Clearwater, used his truck (bearing a large Trump 2024 flag) to make multiple burnouts on the Delray Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Intersection. Within a week, the Delray Beach Police Department identified and arrested the vandal. He has been charged with felony criminal mischief over $1000 and reckless driving, a misdemeanor. After spending a brief period in county jail, he was released on bond. A website has been set up on GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding website, to raise $50,000 for his defense.

PBCHRC is currently working to persuade:

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County to provide trans-specific healthcare services to indigent patients.
The School District of Palm Beach County to cease doing business with Chick-fil-A and other companies that discriminate against LGBTQ people and other minorities.

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