Any public official or candidate for office can show up at Pride events, make donations to LGBTQ+ community events, speak out on our issues, send out media releases, and post on social media, etc.
And Lois Frankel has done all of that for decades. Lois continues to be a vocal advocate on LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS issues and has personally contributed tens of thousands of dollars to local LGBTQ+ organizations including PBCHRC and Compass. Lois speaks out and shows up for us.
But what has Lois Frankel ever done to actually benefit the LGBTQ+ Community?
To begin with, throughout her fourteen years as a Member of the Florida House of Representatives, Lois Frankel consistently worked to oppose efforts by other legislators seeking to discriminate against gay and lesbian Floridians and people with HIV/AIDS.
First, we need to start with a little history.
For people who are not longtime Floridians or were just not paying attention during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, several Florida legislators brought up measures that would have allowed the state to control people with HIV/AIDS. Among the ideas discussed were:
- mandatory HIV testing,
- reporting the names of infected individuals,
- quarantining or otherwise isolating people with HIV/AIDS as a public health risk, and,
- enacting restrictions on employment in certain occupations.
In 1988, then-Florida Governor Bob Martinez had his Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services draft a policy paper aimed at People With AIDS (PWAs) who could have exposed others to HIV. Martinez believed the state was justified in spending more than a million dollars in state funds to quarantine PWAs for “counseling and medical treatment” at the A.G. Holley State Hospital – an unused tuberculosis hospital in Lantana.
Under the plan, any person who believed someone was knowingly spreading HIV could notify the Health Department. The agency would attempt to have the person tested for infection with the virus. People who refused to be tested would be presumed to be HIV+. If health officials determined an individual was engaged in high risk behavior, after limited due process, if the individual did not respond to “education and counseling efforts”, the state could obtain a court order to intervene, ranging from daily monitoring by a ''probation officer'' to commitment to a locked ward with 24-hour-a-day supervision. Commitment would be subject to review every three months.
Lois was the driving force in the Florida Legislature to ensure those proposals did not become Florida law. While other legislators sought to distance themselves from any laws related to HIV/AIDS, in 1988 Lois took on the difficult task. She took a public health approach to HIV/AIDS, emphasizing education, confidentiality, and prevention rather than punitive measures. She became Chair of the Florida House AIDS Task Force, which put her at the center of legislative discussions about HIV/AIDS policy. Lois was a pivotal force in drafting and passing Florida’s AIDS Omnibus Act, which established confidentiality protections, education requirements, and public health procedures.
Florida’s 1988 AIDS Omnibus Act:
- prohibited discrimination against HIV+ individuals in multiple areas, including employment, housing, public services, and public accommodations,
- provides a legal structure for public health officials to manage HIV testing and counseling,
- established informed consent requirements for most HIV testing,
- strictly regulated the disclosure of HIV test results,
- places guidelines on how health and life insurance providers could handle HIV status data,
- expanded education efforts,
- did not authorize quarantine of people with HIV.
She later co-authored revisions to the AIDS Omnibus Act, reflecting an ongoing involvement with HIV/AIDS policy. These protections resulted in reducing stigma and encouraging HIV testing.
Between 1977 and 1990, there were no gay rights laws in effect anywhere in Florida. In 1989, when PBCHRC began working to persuade Palm Beach County Commissioners to amend its Fair Housing Ordinance to prohibit discrimination in housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation, Lois was by our side provided insight and assistance. The amendments were passed with bi-partisan support in 1990 and it remains Florida’s oldest LGBTQ+ rights law currently in effect.
Lois was one of the handful of elected officials who attended PBCHRC’s first summer fundraising event in 1990.
In 1991, Lois, along with State Senator Eleanor Weinstock of West Palm Beach, championed adding “sexual orientation” as a category to be included in the Florida Hate Crimes Act. Later that year, Lois hosted a fundraiser for PBCHRC at her home .
Lois became Mayor of West Palm Beach in 2003 and served through 2011. She remained an outspoken champion on LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS issues. Under Lois Frankel’s leadership, the City of West Palm Beach
- amended the City’s Equal Opportunity Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression in private and public employment, housing and public accommodation,
- adopted a resolution urging the repeal of Florida's statutory ban on adoption by gays and lesbians,
- established a Domestic Partnership Registry,
- extended health insurance continuation coverage (COBRA) to city employees with domestic partners, and
- extended lifetime health insurance benefits to the surviving domestic partner of any city employee killed in the line of duty.
In addition, before leaving office, Lois set the groundwork for the City to enact an ordinance revising the City’s Family Medical Leave Policy to provide the same benefits to families based on domestic partnerships as are provided to families based on legally recognized marriages. That ordinance was one of the first laws enacted just weeks after West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio, a protégé of Lois Frankel’s, took office.
Clearly, Lois enhanced West Palm Beach's reputation as an inclusive city and built on city policies prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees.
As a Member of Congress, Lois has established an impressive record on LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS issues. She is an active member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, participating in caucus initiatives beyond legislation, including public advocacy, policy development, and coalition-building on LGBTQ+ issues.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in June 2013, Lois issued a statement calling the ruling: "A giant step forward for marriage equality."
In 2015, Lois became an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, legislation that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, credit, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.
She has repeatedly described the bill as necessary to ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans receive the same legal protections as other protected groups.
She has also been a consistent supporter for transgender Americans. Over the years, she
- opposed federal efforts to restrict transgender military service,
- signed letters supporting access to gender-affirming health care,
- supported inclusion of gender identity protections in federal civil rights law,
- spoken against state restrictions affecting transgender youth.
She was an early and outspoken supporter of marriage equality. Almost a year before the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, she sent an official letter to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to withdraw Florida’s appeal and recognize same-sex marriages, writing: "It is time for Florida to recognize same-sex marriage. This was one of the stronger public statements by a Florida member of Congress while litigation was still pending.
As Obergefell moved forward, Lois and her House colleagues voted to file an amicus curiae brief urging the Court to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. This wasn't merely a vote—it was an attempt by Congress to influence the Court's constitutional interpretation.
One of her more substantive policy contributions after marriage equality was achieved was Lois becoming a founding leader of the Congressional LGBT Aging Issues Task Force, which focused on discrimination in long-term care facilities, isolation among LGBTQ+ seniors, elder housing, Social Security and Medicare access, elder abuse, and health disparities. Lois frequently stated, "The struggle for equality doesn't stop at retirement."
She was an original cosponsor of the Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act, legislation intended to address the unique needs of LGBTQ+ older adults in federally funded aging programs. This reflected a focus on aging policy beyond broader LGBTQ+ civil rights legislation. The bill was named in honor of Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz – longtime West Palm Beach residents, advocates, and constituents.
Following the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub, Lois publicly condemned anti-LGBTQ+ violence, participated in congressional expressions of solidarity, and supported resolutions honoring the victims while calling for action against hate crimes and gun violence.
In 2020, as a leader of the Democratic Women's Caucus, Lois joined with the Equality Caucus in urging the Trump administration to withdraw proposed regulations that would permit discrimination against LGBTQ+ people by federally funded service providers. This involved organizing Congressional opposition rather than simply casting a vote.
In summary, beyond her Congressional votes, Lois Frankel's documented contributions include public advocacy for marriage equality, participation in Supreme Court litigation through an amicus brief, leadership on LGBTQ+ aging issues, HIV/AIDS policy work in Florida, responses to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, opposition to policies she viewed as discriminatory, and ongoing engagement with Pride and Equality Caucus initiatives. Her record is substantial.
Following the enactment of the "Don't Say Gay" laws by the Florida Legislature, Lois issued multiple public statements condemning the law and arguing it endangered LGBTQ+ youth. She also participated in congressional efforts criticizing similar legislation nationwide.
In 2022, when Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act (Florida’s "Don't Say Gay" law), Lois stated the law stigmatized LGBTQ+ students and families. She issued a strong statement condemning the law, stating schools should be "a nurturing environment for kids to learn and grow, where all students feel welcomed and supported."
That same year, Lois advocated and voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which repealed remaining provisions of DOMA and required federal recognition of same-sex marriages, and protected marriages if the Supreme Court were to revisit Obergefell. Following House passage, she stated "Who one loves is not up for debate."
Following the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, Lois publicly criticized the ruling, stating it permitted discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans and undermined equal treatment.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Lois has repeatedly voted against appropriations bills and other legislation containing provisions she argued would permit discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans or restrict LGBTQ-inclusive education and health care. In addition, she has supported funding for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, community health centers, and programs that benefit HIV prevention, treatment, and research.
Lois Frankel is on the ballot in the August 18, 2026 Primary Election for the newly reconstructed 23rd Congressional District.
The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance strongly urges you to vote to re-elect Lois Frankel, so she may continue to advocate and legislate on our behalf.
