Historic Step Toward Equality

After more than a decade, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) by a vote of 235-184.  This long-awaited step took place amidst controversy when transgender protections were stripped from the bill.  Nonetheless, ENDA's passage is historic in protecting America's citizens from discrimination based on sexual orientation. er

South Florida Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and Lincoln Diaz-Balart all voted in favor of ENDA, joining all but 25 of the house Democrats in making history today. SAVE congratulates those who have worked so hard to garner this victory and we will continue to lobby for transgender protections in our county.

click here to see to view the final vote results
click here to view text of legislation and sponsors

 
The State of Michigan Bans Domestic Partnership Benefits
Florida could face similar fate

(Lansing, Michigan) The Michigan Court of Appeals today ruled that the state's constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage prevents public institutions from providing benefits to same-sex partners of employees. Due to the ban, the following steps have been taken in the the State of Michigan:

  • Domestic partner benefits that had been won by state unions have been terminated.
  • The University of Michigan and Wayne State University have been mandated to shut down their benefits programs to same-sex couples.
  • The City of Kalamazoo has been mandated to shut down their benefits programs to same-sex couples.
Michigan's constitutional amendment defined marriage as the union between a man and a woman and as the only agreement that can be recognized as a marriage "or similar union for any purpose." "The marriage amendment's plain language prohibits public employers from recognizing same-sex unions for any purpose," the court said.

This decision has serious implications for the State of Florida, which will be facing a similarly worded ban in 2008. This ban could clearly eliminate all domestic partnerships in the State of Florida.


Senate Blocks Marriage Amendment
June 29, 2006

Proponents to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriage failed to get the 60 votes they needed to end debate and move to a vote. The results of the vote to end debate was 49-48.

If debate had ended, 67 votes would have been required to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The amendment would then have to be approved by at least 290 members of the House of Representatives and by 38 states.

A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Florida's constitution is expected to be on the ballot in 2008. If you are interested in volunteering to defeat this ban, contact SAVE at (305) 751-7283.

Proposed Amendment Text for the U.S. Constitution

"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."

Proposed Amendment Text for Florida's Constitution

"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof, shall be valid or recognized."

Click here to see how U.S. Senators voted

July 7 - New York Court of Appeals rules against allowing gays and lesbians to marry) Click here to read opinion.

 

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