A controversial new proposal in the Florida House has ignited debate across the state’s higher education community. Republican Representative Kevin Steele introduced House Bill 113, which would require Florida’s public colleges and universities to rename specific campus roads in honor of Charlie Kirk, the late conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA.
Under the proposed legislation, each institution listed in the bill would need to rename designated roads after Kirk within 90 days of the bill’s signing by Governor Ron DeSantis. Any school that fails to comply would risk losing its state funding, according to the bill’s language.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Rep. Steele said the intent of the legislation is to preserve Kirk’s influence on future generations. “My goal with this bill is to continue his legacy through generations of students that will attend our schools and will be faced with many differing ideas,” Steele wrote.
The bill includes a detailed list of state universities and colleges, each paired with a roadway slated for renaming. Examples include main campus drives, entrance roads, and student access routes, though the full list has not yet been publicly released.
The measure comes in the wake of Kirk’s shocking death earlier this year. The 31-year-old conservative commentator was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Footage from the tragic incident showed Kirk speaking to the crowd under a white tent when a gunshot suddenly rang out. He clutched his neck and collapsed as attendees screamed and rushed for cover.
Law enforcement later confirmed Kirk’s death, describing the shooting as a targeted attack. Investigators have not yet disclosed a motive, but the killing sparked a national wave of tributes from conservative figures and lawmakers, including several in Florida.
If passed, the bill would mark one of the first state-led efforts to memorialize Kirk at a large scale. Supporters argue the move honors his “commitment to free speech and conservative values,” while critics see it as another instance of politicizing education in Florida’s already polarized academic environment.
As the bill advances through the state legislature, both educators and students are voicing concerns over its implications — particularly the threat to funding if universities decline to participate. Debate over whether Florida’s campuses should be used to promote political figures is expected to intensify in the weeks ahead.
