A pair of Democrats are pushing a new law to make it mandatory for Florida’s public universities and colleges to be used as early voting sites.

Sen. Tina Scott Polsky and Rep. Debra Tendrich filed bills that would require main campuses to be opened up for early voting, which is something some counties are already doing in Florida.

The legislation (SB 1634, HB 1473) requires at least one early voting site at a school’s main campus, and also calls for a public awareness campaign to inform students about voting opportunities. The campaign, “at a minimum,” must inform students through regular mail and electronic mail, as well as social media and signs around campus, according to the measures.

The identical bills address early voting, which in some places, like Orange County, drew long lines during the General Election as people were deciding between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, as well as several high-profile referendums on abortion rights and legalizing marijuana. Some people waited two or more hours in line, a group of Orange County Democratic leaders said in a letter voicing their concerns and complaining about the early voting sites being understaffed.

Floridians, in general, are big fans of early voting.

Nearly 9 in 10 Floridians said they supported early voting, according to a poll conducted by Tyson Group last year of 1,000 likely voters.

If passed, the new legislation would take effect July 1.

Polsky, a Boca Raton Democrat, and Tendrich, a Lake Worth Democrat, did not return messages for comment Friday.

Their bills were filed just before Regular Session convenes Tuesday

Lawmakers were already called to Tallahassee for three Special Sessions earlier this year that were focused on immigration enforcement. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a package of bills that beefed up laws over illegal immigration, gave $250 million to local law enforcement for reimbursement for taking up on more immigration enforcement responsibilities and took away in-college tuition waivers from undocumented students known as Dreamers.

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Sen. Nick DiCeglie is working to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at state medical institutions of higher learning and in state agencies applying for federal grants related to health care.

The Indian Rocks Beach Republican has filed a bill (SB 1710) that would block state agencies from using federal grants or other funds from bequests, charges, deposits, donations, income or any other revenue sources to “establish, sustain, support or staff” a DEI office or to “contract, employ, engage, or hire a person to serve as a” DEI officer.

It also prohibits any potential state agency receiving a state contract or grant from requiring its employees, contractors, volunteers, vendors or agents to study, be instructed on or ascribe to DEI materials that use state funds.

The bill would allow for a notification process to the Attorney General of violations or potential violations and would afford the Attorney General the option to sue for compliance.

The bill defines “diversity, equity and inclusion” as “any effort to manipulate or otherwise influence the composition of employees with reference to race, sex, color, or ethnicity, other than ensuring colorblind and race-neutral hiring in accordance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws.”

It further delineates DEI as “any effort to promote differential treatment of or provide special benefits to a person based on his or her race, color or ethnicity.” The definition also includes efforts to promote policies or procedures that reference race or ethnicity or the adoption of training on issues relating to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.

The bill also calls out DEI efforts to promote “a particular opinion referencing unconscious or implicit bias, cultural appropriation, allyship, transgender ideology, microaggressions, group marginalization, antiracism, systemic oppression, social justice, intersectionality, neopronouns, heteronormativity, disparate impact, gender theory, racial or sexual privilege,” or any other similar concept.

It exempts from the definition “equal opportunity or equal employment opportunity materials designed to inform a person” of rights affiliated with various protected status.

Additionally, the bill would require a standardized admissions test for any state medical institution of higher education that focuses on “knowledge of and critical thinking skills for science and medical training,” meaning admission would not be granted based on DEI initiatives or policies.

DiCeglie filed the measure Friday. It does not yet have a House companion.

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