Florida Republican pushes bill to force sports teams to play national anthem -- or face punishment
A Florida Republican lawmaker wants sports teams to know that playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games is not optional.
As noted by WFLA's Evan Donovan, Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters has introduced legislation that would bar governmental entities from entering into agreements with professional sports teams if they don't play the United States national anthem at the start of each game.
According to Donovan, teams that don't comply "could face financial penalties or be cut out of future business" as punishment for their defiance.
Donovan also reports that, during a legislative session held on Tuesday, Democratic State Sen. Victor Torres literally laughed at Gruters's proposal and asked, "Who doesn't play the national anthem now?"
"I don't know if there's any known instances," Gruters conceded. "This is just to make sure, as a proactive approach, that people continue to play it."
Watch the video below.
This was the entire committee hearing.\n\nOnly one question, from @FLSenatorTorres (D-Kissimmee), with a chuckle \u2014\n\n"Who doesn't play the national anthem now?"pic.twitter.com/IcCCMwcXNX— Evan Donovan (@Evan Donovan) 1642526628