Committee clears bill to bar state agencies from using funds to promote Pride displays

The General Government Committee on Wednesday approved House Bill 12-19, a bill sponsored by Representative West that would bar state agencies, boards, commissions and departments from using public funds to display or promote Pride events or messaging. The measure passed on a 5-2 vote.

Supporters said the bill is intended to return agencies to neutrality and focus limited resources on core services. “This bill helps to ensure that, those priorities are met rather than spending time, money, and resources promoting something,” Representative West said during the committee debate. He repeatedly described the measure as a means to require agencies to “focus on what their core mission is” and said permitted displays would be limited to flags representing governmental entities such as the…