A new study of Florida residents says most of the state's parents who are registered Democrats have considered leaving the state due to the Parental Rights in Education Act, and the Florida GOP is urging them to leave.

Dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics despite containing no reference to a specific sexual orientation, the act banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity through third grade. The law was later expanded to include all grades. Liberal pundits and Democratic politicians loudly decried the law, saying its provisions are harmful to gay and transgender youth.

ISSUE 1: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OHIO'S CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BALLOT MEASURE

According to a new survey from the Williams Institute, a gay and transgender research center at UCLA Law School, some 40% of Florida parents had considered moving away from the state due to the implementation of the Parental Rights in Education Act. Nevertheless, a majority of the state's residents support the law.

Abbie Goldberg, the study's author, shared with the Washington Examiner that 53% of Democrat respondents had indicated that they had considered leaving the state, along with 40% of independents and 15% of Republicans. In contrast, 80% of Republicans said they have not considered leaving the state, along with 33% of Democrats and 40% of independents.

"Over 60% of voters support the actual language in the law, including 55% of Democrats," Christopher Ziegler, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, told the Washington Examiner. "With that said, if a Democrat Voter is passionate and perverted enough to support the sexualization of kids during school in grades as early as Kindergarten, then I would agree that Florida is probably not the best fit for them."

The Williams Institute survey showed that public opinion on the law in the Sunshine State has largely settled along party lines, with 89% of Republicans supporting the law, while 29% of Democrats felt the same way. Only 20% of Democrats supported the expansion of the law's provisions to all grade levels. Independents were more split, with 47% supporting the initial version of the law and 40% supporting the expansion.

"It is important to understand the diverse viewpoints Florida parents have around the state’s Don’t Say Gay law,” Goldberg, a professor of psychology at Clark University, said in a statement. "These parents live in the same neighborhoods and send their children to the same schools. They have the power to work across differences to build strong communities that support the well-being of all children."

Of the 40% of Florida residents who said they had considered moving out of the state due to the law, half said they "very much so" wished to leave the state, and 11% of survey respondents said they were likely to move within the next two years.

The study's conclusion noted that most of those who expressed a desire to leave the state "identified serious barriers to doing so," including employment and financial limitations.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"This underscores the reality that for the most vulnerable individuals, moving may not be a realistic option, even as living in Florida becomes increasingly challenging," the survey says.

The Washington Examiner contacted the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and his 2024 presidential campaign for comment on the study's findings but did not receive a response.