Florida House Unanimously Passes Sexual Harassment Bill

Florida officials, government employees and the lobbyists and contractors who deal with them could be subject to new rules and penalties for sexual harassment under a bill the House passed unanimously.

The bill would require government agencies to set up policies to prevent, prohibit and punish sexual harassment. All claims would be investigated and there is language to protect accusers' identities and to prohibit retribution for coming forward with a complaint. Violators could be fired, removed from office or fined. Lobbyists who harass could be barred from lobbying and contractors could be banned from doing business with the state.

Democratic Rep. Kristin Jacobs, who co-sponsored the bill, described how she was sexually harassed at her first job when she was 18 by a man who was much older.