# Joe Harding > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Harding > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Harding.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Harding > Source revision: 1314687836 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For the cheesemaker, see [Joseph Harding](/source/Joseph_Harding). **Joe Harding** (born June 18, 1987) is an American politician and businessman who was a member of the [Florida House of Representatives](/source/Florida_House_of_Representatives) from 2020 until his resignation in 2022. A member of the [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)), Harding is most well known for introducing the [Florida Parental Rights in Education Act](/source/Florida_Parental_Rights_in_Education_Act), commonly known by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" act. In October 2023, Harding was sentenced to four months in prison for wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements. ## Early life and education Harding was born and raised in [Williston, Florida](/source/Williston,_Florida). He studied construction management at the [College of Central Florida](/source/College_of_Central_Florida) and [Florida International University](/source/Florida_International_University)[1] ## Career Harding worked as a project manager in the construction industry for several years before founding Stripes Lawn Care in 2018. Harding was elected to the [Florida House of Representatives](/source/Florida_House_of_Representatives) in November 2020.[2][3] He was a member of the House Education & Employment Committee.[4] In 2021, Harding introduced the controversial [Florida Parental Rights in Education Act](/source/Florida_Parental_Rights_in_Education_Act), prohibiting teachers from discussing [LGBT](/source/LGBT) related topics in [Kindergarten](/source/Kindergarten) through [3rd grade](/source/3rd_grade) school classrooms in Florida.[5][6] In 2022, Harding offered an amendment to the bill requiring public schools to [out](/source/Outing) gay children to their parents once the schools learn that the child is not heterosexual, which was later withdrawn.[7] The legislation has widely been opposed, garnering criticism from President [Joe Biden](/source/Joe_Biden), the [United Nations Human Rights Council](/source/United_Nations_Human_Rights_Council) through [an independent expert](/source/United_Nations_Independent_Expert_on_Protection_against_violence_and_discrimination_based_on_sexual_orientation_and_gender_identity), and numerous human rights organizations.[8][9] ### Federal indictment On December 7, 2022, Harding was indicted by a [federal grand jury](/source/Grand_juries_in_the_United_States#Federal_law) on six counts of [wire fraud](/source/Wire_fraud) and [money laundering](/source/Money_laundering) related to a scheme to defraud the [Small Business Administration](/source/Small_Business_Administration) of more than $150,000 in [COVID-19](/source/COVID-19)-related small business loans. Harding was released on bond and lost his committee assignments for the upcoming legislative term.[10] Harding resigned on December 8, 2022.[11] A trial was scheduled to begin on January 11, 2023, in Gainesville, Florida.[12] On March 21, 2023, Harding pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of [making false statements](/source/Making_false_statements).[13] In October 2023, he was sentenced to 4 months in federal prison, with 2 years of supervised release and a $300 fine.[14] ## References 1. ["Joe Harding"](https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4769&SessionId=90). *myfloridahouse.gov* 1. ["Joe Harding brings agriculture background, law enforcement support to HD 22 race"](https://floridapolitics.com/archives/355037-joe-harding-brings-agriculture-background-law-enforcement-support-to-hd-22-race/). *[Florida Politics](/source/Florida_Politics)*. August 4, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2021. 1. Laude, Julia (November 4, 2020). ["Republican Joe Harding wins State House District 22 race"](https://www.wcjb.com/2020/11/04/republican-joe-harding-wins-state-house-district-22-race/). *wcjb.com*. Retrieved June 20, 2021. 1. ["Joe Harding"](https://ballotpedia.org/Joe_Harding). *Ballotpedia*. Retrieved June 20, 2021. 1. ["CS/CS/HB 1557 (2022) - Parental Rights in Education | Florida House of Representatives"](https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=76545&SessionId=93). *www.myfloridahouse.gov*. Retrieved February 23, 2022. 1. ["Lawmaker Pulls Amendment to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill That Would Force Teachers to Out Students"](https://news.yahoo.com/help-oppose-don-t-gay-222800819.html). *news.yahoo.com*. Retrieved February 23, 2022. 1. ["Amendment to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill would force schools to out students in 6 weeks"](https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/florida-dont-say-gay-bill-amendment-would-force-schools-to-out-students-in-6-weeks/). *WFLA*. February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022. 1. ["'Don't Say Gay': Biden denounces 'hateful' new Florida bill"](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60326418). *BBC News*. February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022. 1. Lee, Lloyd. ["A UN expert was 'extremely concerned' that LGBTQ rights are being stripped away at the state level after his 10-day visit to the US"](https://www.insider.com/un-expert-extremely-concerned-about-rollbacks-to-lgbtq-rights-us-2022-8). *Insider*. Retrieved March 22, 2023. 1. Schorsch, Peter (December 7, 2022). ["Joe Harding indicted on wire fraud, money laundering charges"](https://floridapolitics.com/archives/575007-joe-harding-indicted-on-wire-fraud-money-laundering-charges/). *Florida Politics*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221208040833/https://floridapolitics.com/archives/575007-joe-harding-indicted-on-wire-fraud-money-laundering-charges/) December 8, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022. 1. Ellenbogen, Romy (December 8, 2022). ["State Rep. Joe Harding resigns after federal indictment for wire fraud"](https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/12/08/state-rep-joe-harding-resigns-after-federal-indictment-wire-fraud/). *[Tampa Bay Times](/source/Tampa_Bay_Times)*. Retrieved December 9, 2022. 1. Mazzei, Patricia (December 8, 2022). ["Florida Lawmaker Charged With Pandemic Aid Fraud"](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/us/joe-harding-pandemic-aid-fraud.html). *The New York Times*. – via NYTimes.com. 1. [Former state Rep. Joe Harding pleads guilty to 3 charges](https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2023/03/21/harding-wire-fraud-guilty-resigned-charges); at the *[Tampa Bay Times](/source/Tampa_Bay_Times)*; published March 22, 2023; retrieved March 22, 2023 1. Morgan, Silas. ["Former Republican lawmaker Joe Harding of Ocala sentenced to 4 months in prison"](https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2023/10/19/former-ocala-lawmaker-joe-harding-sentenced-to-4-months-in-prison/71246400007/). *Gainesville Sun* --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joe Harding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Harding) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Harding?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.