CS/HB 395 2022
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P RE S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to "Victims of Communism Day"; 2
creating s. 683.334, F.S.; requiring the Governor to 3
proclaim November 7 of each year as "Victims of 4
Communism Day"; requiring the day to be observed in 5
public schools and by public exercise; requiring a day 6
other than November 7 to be observed by public schools 7
under a specified circumstance; requiring certain high 8
school students to receive specified instruction; 9
requiring the State Board of Education to adopt 10
certain revised social studies standards by a 11
specified date; providing an effective date. 12
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WHEREAS, over 100 years have passed since the Bolshevik 14
Revolution in Russia and the formation of the first co mmunist 15
government under Vladimir Lenin, leading to decades of 16
oppression and violence under communist regimes throughout the 17
world, and 18
WHEREAS, based on the economic philosophies of Karl Marx, 19
communism has proven incompatible with the ideals of liberty , 20
prosperity, and dignity of human life and has given rise to such 21
infamous totalitarian dictators as Joseph Stalin, Vladimir 22
Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot, and 23
WHEREAS, communist regimes worldwide have killed more than 24
100 million people and subjected c ountless others to 25
CS/HB 395 2022
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exploitation and unspeakable atrocities, with victims 26
representing many different ethnicities, creeds, and 27
backgrounds, and 28
WHEREAS, through false promises of equality and liberation 29
or through coercion, brutality, and fear, communist r egimes have 30
systematically robbed their own citizens of the rights of 31
freedom of worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of 32
association, and 33
WHEREAS, many victims of communism were persecuted as 34
political prisoners for speaking out against these regimes, and 35
others were killed in genocidal state -sponsored purges of 36
undesirable groups, and 37
WHEREAS, in addition to violating basic human rights, 38
communist regimes have suppressed intellectual freedom, cultural 39
life, and self-determination movements in more tha n 40 nations, 40
NOW, THEREFORE, 41
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 43
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Section 1. Section 683.334, Florida Statutes, is created 45
to read: 46
683.334 Victims of Communism Day. — 47
(1) The Governor shall proclaim November 7 of each year as 48
"Victims of Communism Day," which shall be suitably observed in 49
the public schools of the state as a day honoring the 100 50
CS/HB 395 2022
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million people who have fallen victim to communist regimes 51
across the world and which shall be suitably observed by public 52
exercise in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor may 53
designate. 54
(2) If November 7 falls on a day that is not a school day, 55
"Victims of Communism Day" shall be observed in the public 56
schools in the state on the preceding school day or on such 57
school day as may be designated by local school authorities. 58
(3)(a) Beginning in the 2023 -2024 school year, high school 59
students enrolled in the United States Government class required 60
by s. 1003.4282(3)(d) must receive at least 45 minutes of 61
instruction on "Victims of Communism Day" to include topics such 62
as Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution, Joseph Stalin and the 63
Soviet System, Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution, Vladimir 64
Lenin and the Russian Revolution, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, 65
and Nicolás Maduro and the Chavismo movement, and how victims 66
suffered under these regimes through poverty, starvation, 67
migration, systemic lethal violence, and suppression of speech. 68
(b) No later than April 1, 2023, the State Board of 69
Education must adopt revised social studies standards for 70
inclusion in the United States Government class required by s. 71
1003.4282(3)(d) which incorporate the requirements of this 72
subsection. 73
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 74