Florida's Senate Bill 1644 — which would make it easier for creationists and climate change deniers to smuggle instructional materials they favor into public school classrooms — was approved by the Senate Education Committee on a 7-3 vote on February 12, 2018.
If enacted, the bill would allow members of the public to recommend instructional materials for consideration by the state or their district school board, which would then be required to allow the publisher of those materials to submit a bid for evaluation.
Gary Farmer (D-District 34), who voted against the bill, expressed his "worry about those who would deny climate change, those who would deny evolution, having too great a say," according to the Tampa Bay Times (February 13, 2018).
As NCSE previously reported, the sponsor of the House counterpart of SB 1644, House Bill 827, was the chief sponsor of a bill in 2017 that was intended to make it easier for creationist and climate change deniers to pester their school districts.
HB 827 was slightly altered by the Pre-K-12 Quality Subcommittee of the House Education Committee on Education and approved on a 12-1 vote on January 10, 2018; it is now pending with the House Education Committee.