Today the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the state’s motion for stay of a District Court ruling that overturned the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples. The stay is scheduled to expire at the end of the day on January 5th, enabling same-sex couples to apply for marriage licenses at that time.
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans are less likely to have access to the same quality coverage as their straight counterparts.
The new health care law addresses some of these disparities and introduces reforms to prevent unfair discrimination by health insurers, but there is still much work to be done!
Almost exactly a year ago–on Nov. 7, 2013–the U.S. Senate voted 64-32 to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The proposed law would have banned workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people (LGBT). Florida’s Bill Nelson, a Democrat, voted for it. Marco Rubio, a Republican, voted against. Nevertheless, 10 Republican senators joined 52 Democrats and two independents to vote approval. It was a rare show of bi-partisan support.
Written by: Mitch Perry
Last month, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted to include the LGBT community with other protected classes in connection with employment, public accommodations, real estate transactions and county contracting and procurement. The move was hailed by activists who have considered the county to be somewhat in the dark ages when it came to LGBT rights.
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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.
Written by:Abraham Galvan
LGBT community leaders and allies on Sunday honored trans teen Jazz Jennings and paid tribute to late businessman Mark Haines at Equality Florida’s annual Broward Gala in Fort Lauderdale.
Hundreds attended the 12th annual gala, held this year at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Panorama Ballroom. Equality Florida raised more than $400,000 at the event, according to Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer.
Written by: Gwen Filosa
State Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed more appeals in both a federal and state case demanding the right for same-sex couples to marry, reiterating that Florida has every right to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
Written by: Morgan Watkins
The Alachua County Commission has joined the city of Gainesville and other local governments in signing onto a friend-of-the-court brief filed in various marriage equality cases in Florida involving the state’s same-sex marriage ban.
The Gainesville City Commission decided to join in the amicus curiae brief in October, and the County Commission followed suit Tuesday. (The friend-of-the-court brief was included as an item on the county’s consent agenda.)