Posted on 04/09/2015 7:01:38 AM PDT by Iron Munro
Floridas nearly 40-year-old ban on gay adoption - which hasnt been enforced for the past five years - is about to be tossed out by the states Republican-controlled Legislature.
But its not going without a fierce debate, including whether the state should adopt a separate law that would let private agencies use religious or moral grounds to turn away gay couples seeking to adopt children.
Some Republicans say this conscience law is needed to ensure that faith-based organizations handling adoptions will keep offering their services, but other legislators have compared the measure to Indianas religious objections law and said it would encourage discrimination against gay couples.
Both the House and Senate spent hours on Wednesday debating the states existing ban - and what will happen if it is permanently removed from law.
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, defended the decision to jettison the gay adoption ban and called it a relic of another time that is now meaningless since an appeals court declared the law unconstitutional in 2010.
We dont need to turn the social clock in this state back to 1977, said Gaetz, who is sponsoring the adoption bill.
Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, tried unsuccessfully to persuade other senators to keep the ban on the books. Stargel argued that getting rid of the ban could lead faith-based organizations to leave the state.
Im not going to let something leave this chamber and go to the governor that I think is the wrong policy for the state of Florida, said Stargel.
The Florida Senate on Wednesday gave tentative approval to the bill (HB 7013) that eliminates the ban.
But after an outcry from conservative groups over the demise of the ban, House Republicans have agreed to push forward a separate bill that would shield religious organizations
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Republican-controlled Legislature ??
Total surrender. Why not wait till the Obama/Clinton judges impose this?
Sort of contradicts the best arguments against gay marriage, that a boy having two mommies and no daddies is unhealthy
The greatest threat to the country is the RINO’s.
America has always had its domestic enemies, but they were opposed in the past by those who affirmed the Constitution and Western Civilization.
Because the Republican Party has joined the Democratic Party, America is now at the mercy of the domestic enemies.
Watch soon the homos will be setting up financial assistance to homos who want to adopt and you can be sure that our tax money will be used. Not only that but there will be pressure brought to bear behind the scenes assuring that gays get to go to the top of the adoption lists.
Fight the HomoFascists.
Yep.. hate on Christianity continues.
Like it or not, this is really just legislative housekeeping & goes on all the time with laws rejected or modified by the courts.
The liberal RINO Don Gaetz is leading the charge. Looks like old Don may be influenced by his child Erin.
If Wikipedia is to be believed, “Erin Gaetz...works as a producer for MSNBC’s Morning Joe.”
And there you have it. Just like Rob Portman and Jeff Flake abandoned Biblical marriage because of their children. Supposedly.
Court rulings can eventually be overruled, can they not?
Just because no one is currently standing for the 10th amendment doesn’t mean there won’t be a strong Constitutionalist in the future.
If the “question” is supposedly settled now, it seems as though the only reason to eat up legislative resources on a blatant repeal is a fear that someday sanity might come back to the body politic.
Sure, if there is still an active case. But, in Florida, there is not & I don't know of any other lawsuit anywhere fighting this battle.
Thanks GOP.
The law itself has already been obviated by Supreme Court decision.
As an unconstitutional law I'm not sure what purpose having it on the books serves.
if the press announced every child molestation committed by homos when they did it, this bill would be enforced in every state.
2% of the population commits more then 35% of the molestation cases ==> homos are more then 15 times more likely to molest kids then heteros.
“Fight the HomoFascists.”
All day long. 24/7 365.
The RINO Party will do nothing to help us.
Looks like Barry Manilow’s in the market for a “gay wedding” cake:
http://www.wwtdd.com/2015/04/barry-manilow-drops-a-bombshell/
The girls of my generation are as shocked by that as my mom’s were when Johnny Mathis came out of the closet.
Well at least Johnny kept his private life private, and he was a Reagan supporter, so he’s ok in my book.
I’m old enough to remember when we had two political parties.
He’s a poof? I didn’t know that. WTF?!?!
This has the markings of the Florida Bar meddling. They spend membership mandatory dues on issues only a MINOR amount of members (homosexuals) want.
When does this session end?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.