TALLAHASSEE 鈥� After a contentious debate, the Republican-controlled House voted along party lines Wednesday on bills that designates a road in Miami-Dade County and a day annually after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Republicans claimed Kirk was 鈥渆ffective鈥� in teaching people how to civilly engage others. Democrats said Kirk repeatedly expressed racist and misogynist views.
Marco Island Republican Rep. Yvette Benarroch said her bill establishing a day of remembrance (HB 125) for Kirk was for someone who encouraged a generation to 鈥渞ead the Constitution and love this great country鈥� and was killed exercising his First Amendment rights.
鈥淭his bill recognizes that moment and affirms something foundational, that free speech under our Constitution must be protected, even when it is controversial, even when it is unpopular, and even when we disagree,鈥� Benarroch said.
Under the bill, October 14 鈥� Kirk鈥檚 birthday - would be known as 鈥淐harlie Kirk Day of Remembrance鈥� each year.
Rep. Bruce Antone, an Orlando Democrat who is Black, said days of remembrance should be assigned to people and groups that have a history of achievements.
鈥淚 just don't know why we are honoring somebody who had no accomplishments, who hadn鈥檛 done anything, and who denigrated people that look like me,鈥� Antone said.
The day of remembrance bill was approved in an 82-31 party line vote.
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, and an ally of President Donald Trump, was killed on Sept. 10 during a speech at an outdoor rally at Utah Valley University. The 22-year-old suspect in his killing, Tyler Robinson, faces the death penalty if convicted.
Kirk, who grew up in Illinois, reportedly owned a condo in Longboat Key.
Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, argued state honors should reflect 鈥渟hared progress, not ideological symbolism.鈥�
READ MORE: Proposal to name a Miami-Dade road after Charlie Kirk advances in the Senate
鈥淎s a Black woman serving in this chamber, I cannot overlook the way (Kirk鈥檚) rhetoric has targeted and dismissed Black women and other marginalized voices, including members yelling at other Black women on this floor,鈥� Rayner said.
Port Orange Republican Rep. Chase Tramont countered that Kirk鈥檚 words are often taken out of context.
鈥淚 can go down a list of misquotes, some fabrications and outright distortions and lies that have been attributed to Charlie Kirk,鈥� Tramont said. 鈥淏ut the truth is, I don't really think that would matter, because if we're being truly honest here, this isn't about a personality problem. It's about what it's always about: This is about ideological intolerance, because the same things that people have said about Charlie Kirk are the same things that people say about me and other members in our party.鈥�
Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, added that Kirk鈥檚 achievement was as a 鈥渄ebater.鈥�
鈥淲hile people may have disagreed with what he said, he made no attempt to cancel the words of others,鈥� Black said.
The road measure designates a portion of S.W. 107th Avenue in Miami-Dade County as 鈥淐harlie Kirk Memorial Avenue鈥� (HB 33).
The House voted 82-30 on the road dedication.
Both proposals await Senate action.
The House road designation bill also would name a section of Commercial Boulevard in Broward County as 鈥淧resident Donald J. Trump Boulevard.鈥�
The Senate version of the road designation bill (SB 194) does not include the road naming for Trump. However, the House did add a provision Wednesday to a transportation bill (SB 628) that would name State Road 80, which runs 124 miles from Palm Beach County to Lee County, after Trump.
Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon said Republicans were rushing to dedicate roads and other facilities after Trump to score 鈥渃heap political points.鈥�
Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, described Kirk as a 鈥渕odern day civil rights leader,鈥� with whom he bonded while forming a Turning Point USA chapter at Florida International University a decade ago.
Republican legislators last week approved a proposal that affixes Trump鈥檚 name to Palm Beach International Airport (HB 919).
The airport bill, which also preempts naming rights at other major airports in Florida to the state, awaits delivery to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
