Tag Archives: Equality Florida

Via press release from Equality Florida: The Don’t Say Gay bill has passed the FL legislature and now goes to the governor’s desk. Let us be clear: should its vague language be interpreted in any way that causes harm to a single child, teacher, or family, we will lead legal action against the State of Florida to challenge this bigoted …

Florida Politics reports: Equality Florida is launching a new, two-part ad campaign to address GOP legislative priorities the group says target — and could potentially harm — marginalized students, including those within the LGBTQ community. One proposal (SB 1834, HB 1557), dubbed by critics as the “don’t say gay” bill, would closely regulate LGBTQ instruction in the classroom and conversations …

Via press release from Equality Florida: Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a page from Anita Bryant’s playbook, using anti-LGBTQ legislation like “Don’t Say Gay” as a springboard to serve his national political ambitions. From banning books and electronic monitoring of teachers to white-washing history and allowing the state to dictate our health care decisions, Governor DeSantis is committed to an …

From the page: Equality Florida, the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization is collecting contributions via this GoFundMe page to support the victims of the horrific shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub. Please contribute and share this page. We are reeling from the tragic news that a gunman opened fire on the 2am capacity crowd at Pulse …

Via Equality Florida: In a stunning turnaround late this afternoon, the Florida Senate blocked efforts to allow Indiana-style discrimination in adoption. In doing so they derailed an effort that originated in the House of Representatives to reintroduce an anti-gay adoption law in Florida. Former Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Destin, was an eloquent opponent, stating “We don’t need to turn back …

The National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality Florida today issued a joint letter in which they urge Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to instruct state agencies regarding the rights of married same-sex couples. Dear Attorney General Bondi: As counsel for the Plaintiffs in Pareto v. Ruvin, we write to request that your office immediately advise all state agencies in …

Equality Florida and the National Center for Lesbian Rights today issued a joint memo to all 67 Florida county clerks. From the concluding paragraph: Florida county court clerks should follow Judge Hinkle’s ruling and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples beginning January 6, 2015. The advice provided to the Clerks Association in legal memoranda from a private law firm is …

Read the denial. Suck it, Pam Bondi!

Via Equality Florida: Earlier today, Representative Holly Raschein (R- Key Largo) and Democratic Whip Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D- Boynton Beach) filed legislation in the Florida House and Senate respectively that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in employment, housing and public accommodations. Known as the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), the legislation would amend Chapter …

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi tonight filed an appeal with the Eleventh Circuit Court of the August ruling in the ACLU / SAVE Dade suit that overturned that state’s ban on same-sex marriage.   On November 5th, US District Court Judge Robert Hinkle denied the request to immediately lift the stay on his ruling while the appeals process goes on. …

Orlando’s Watermark has the transcript: “I am Edith S. Windsor, the plaintiff in Windsor v. United States, the case that won federal recognition of marriages for same-sex couples. The two extremely positive decisions in favor of marriage equality were Justice Jacobs’ decision in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Kennedy’s decision in the Supreme Court, both self-described conservatives. …

Via Equality Florida: Florida also made history today as Arlene Goldberg and her late wife, Carol Goldwasser, officially became the first same-sex couple whose marriage is respected in the state. US District Court Judge Robert Hinkle ruled on August 21, 2014 that Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples was unconstitutional and – despite a stay on his ruling –ordered …

Via Equality Florida: On August 21, Judge Hinkle ruled Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples unconstitutional and added Florida must also recognize legal marriages performed in other states. The judge immediately stayed the ruling pending appeal. But if the decision is not appealed by September 21, the marriage ban will fall on September 22! Judge Hinkle has stated that …

Apparently ignoring the directions of Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Florida state appeals court today asked the state Supreme Court to issue a ruling on marriage equality. Via Equality Florida: “This is what we’ve been asking for all along. We’re thrilled that the 2nd DCA agrees that marriage equality is an issue of such urgency and importance that it should …

Via press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights: Today, a state trial court in Miami issued a decision striking down Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples and ordering Miami-Dade County to allow same-sex couples to marry. The court stayed the order pending appeal. The case was brought by Equality Florida Institute and Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, …

Liberty Counsel head Mat Staver is speaking at this writing. I must be getting my Florida cases mixed up because I could have sworn that Liberty Counsel was denied the right to be a party to this case. Watch the live stream. UPDATE: Equality Florida has tweeted that Staver was merely allowed to orally present his amicus brief, which seems …

That’s National Center for Lesbian Rights attorney Shannon Minter seated in the red tie. They’re about to enter the courtroom as Florida’s first marriage equality case opens in Miami. Equality Florida will be live-tweeting the proceedings.

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player Equality Florida will be live-tweeting from the courthouse.

Via Equality Florida: Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist has filed an amicus brief today in support of the marriage equality lawsuit Pareto v. Ruvin, which is set for a hearing on July 2 before Judge Sarah Zabel in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami. Judge Zabel will hear from attorneys who filed a lawsuit in January on behalf of …

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed motions to intervene on behalf of the state in marriage equality lawsuits filed against Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Via Steve Rothaus at the Miami Herald: Allen Winsor, the state’s solicitor general, states in the motions filed in local courts that Florida has a legitimate interest in intervening in the cases since they represent …