| Individual Freedom Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Florida Legislature | |
| Enacted by | Florida House of Representatives |
| Enacted by | Florida Senate |
| Signed by | Ron DeSantis |
| Signed | April 22, 2022 |
| Effective | July 1, 2022 |
| Legislative history | |
| First chamber: Florida House of Representatives | |
| Introduced by | Bryan Avila |
| Passed | February 24, 2022 |
| Voting summary |
|
| Second chamber: Florida Senate | |
| Passed | March 10, 2022 |
| Voting summary |
|
| Status: Not fully in force | |
The Stop WOKE Act, also known as the Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act (a backronym of woke ) and redubbed the Individual Freedom Act, is a 2022 Florida state law that restricts schools and businesses from promoting certain concepts related to race, gender, racism, and social privilege, while still allowing discussion of them. It does not prohibit Florida educational institutions and businesses from discussing whether race, gender, and systemic racism intersect with various social systems, including legal, healthcare, education, and so forth. Still, it does prohibit compelled belief or instructional endorsement of specific concepts related to systemic racism or intersectionality. Violations could expose institutions to complaints and potential funding consequences, but the law does not mandate termination or automatic loss of funding. [1] [2]
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After passing both chambers of the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature along party lines, it was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on April 22, 2022, and entered into effect on July 1. [3] DeSantis framed the bill as opposing what he described as "woke indoctrination", though the statute does not mention critical race theory, [4] critics of the law described it as whitewashing and an attack on the First Amendment. [5] The law prohibits instruction that could compel students to feel guilt or responsibility for past injustices due to race or sex "guilt" and "shame" [6] from students who based on their race and gender.
Multiple legal challenges were filed shortly after the law’s enactment. In August 2022, U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker ruled that the provisions governing workplace diversity training violated employers’ First Amendment rights, and in November issued an injunction blocking enforcement of the higher-education provisions. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the workplace ruling in 2024. The law’s K–12 provisions remain in effect, as they were not part of the injunction. [7] On July 26, 2024, Judge Walker granted a permanent injunction against the workplace provisions. [8] [9]
One academic study using an event-study methodology found a short-term decline in the stock value of Florida-based firms following the Act’s announcement, though these findings reflect correlation rather than established causation [10]
