The Florida Legislature opened yesterday, Tuesday, March 3, 2009, for its annual sixty day session through Friday, May 1, 2009.   Each week that the legislature is in session, we will be providing our registered** members only this weekly "Insiders Report" update on what is going on behind the scenes with key pro-life and pro-family bills.

While an overwhelming focus will be placed on solving the budget shortfalls caused by the economic recession, there will still be both major opportunities and challenges for pro-life and pro-family causes.  We want to keep you updated as relevant legislation moves forward and alert you when a phone call, email or letter to your elected representatives can make a difference.  The Florida Family Policy Council, and our sister group Florida Family Action, will strategically ask you to take action and write and call lawmakers only when it will make a difference.  Some groups cry wolf with every bad bill filed and waste their supporter's time and energy by asking them to write or call about measures that are either bound to pass or fail. 
 

Nathan Dunn is our Vice President of Public Policy and lives and works year-round in Tallahassee to be your voice, for your values in state government.  Nathan will be constantly researching numerous bills, meeting with legislators and testifying before committees on topics that directly affect the sanctity of human life and the strength of the marriage and family structures.

There are several key bills we are currently monitoring.  They are listed below with an indication of whether we SUPPORT or OPPOSE the bill.

Ultrasound Prior to Abortion - SUPPORT

HB 983 and SB 1854

Bill Sponsors: Rep. Flores and Sen. Gardiner

The bill will require doctors to conduct an ultrasound and give the pregnant mother an option to review the results of the ultrasound prior to the giving consent to abort her baby.  The mother has a right to decline to view the ultrasound images after she is offered an opportunity to view them. The Ultrasound Option measure is a very good bill and it serves women by helping them receive all the available information about the baby in her womb thus giving them the most information before she consents to this life changing and irreversable decision. 

Marriage Preparation Act - SUPPORT

HB 1185 and SB 2310

Bill Sponsors: Rep. Plakon and Sen. Storms

This bill is a part of the Strong Marriages Florida campaign we are leading statewide to strengthen marriage and reduce the divorce rate. The bill increases the cost of a marriage license by $100.  But, for couples who get pre-marital education the fee is waived, along with the $32.50 discount already available for those who take a preparation course. This creates a stronger economic incentive for couples to get this valuable training.  The bill also increases the required hours of pre-marital education from 4 to 8 hours of preparation and suggests that a premarital inventory can be used as a part of this education. The funding that does come from the additional fee will be placed in a Marriage Trust Fund (see these companion bills: HB 1187 and SB 2306) and be designated for grants to programs that help strengthen marriage around the state.

Repeal Ban on Homosexual Adoption of Children - OPPOSE

HB 413 and SB 500 (SB 460)

Bill Sponsors : Rep. Brandenburg and Sen. Rich

Homosexual activists have pushed each year to overturn Florida’s restriction on homosexuals adopting children.  This policy is in place to protect children and pursue a permanent placement in a family that is in the best interest of the children – with both a mom and a dad. This year, bills have been filed to repeal the ban on homosexual adoption and a bill has been filed in the Senate (SB 460) which tries a backdoor approach.  SB 460 would allow homosexuals to adopt children only under certain circumstances.

Creation of Domestic Partnerships (Civil Union/ Gay Marriage Bill) - OPPOSE

HB 1067 and SB 1642

Bill Sponsors: Rep. Steinberg and Sen. Sobel

This bill has a title which leads the reader to believe the bill creates a statewide domestic partnership.  However what the bill actually does is try to create a full blown civil union gay marriage arrangement that would be equivalent to marriage.  In other words, homosexual activists are trying to establish gay marriage and call it something else: a domestic partnership.  This bill is plainly unconstitutional due to the fact that Amendment 2 (The Florida Marriage Protection Amendment) passed in Florida last year. Existing domestic partnerships in Florida cities and counties which contain a small bundle of rights are not invalidated by Amendment 2.  However our opponents have crafted this stealth gay marriage bill and called it a domestic partnership.  Look for gay activists to rant and rave that supporters of Amendment 2 were dishonest because the amendment prohibits this “domestic partnership” bill.  This so-called domestic partnership is clearly the “substantial equivalent” of marriage, which is now prohibited in the state constitution. 

Sex Education in Public Schools - OPPOSE

HB 265 and SB 220

Bill Sponsors : Rep. Fitzgerald and Sen. Deutch

This bill pushes what is called “comprehensive sex education” upon our young people and requires teaching children about homosexual acts and how to use all of the available contraception devices.  While giving a cursory mention of abstinence, the bill assumes the inevitable sexual involvement of most young people and by doing so the policy will actually encourage sexual experimentation by even younger and younger children.

Seminole Indian Gambling Compact - OPPOSE

The Gambling Compact that Gov. Crist signed with the Seminole Indian Tribe to allow them to have Class III Casino-Style gambling has been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court because the Legislature did not give input and approval.  Now the legislature is studying the compact and the temptation to approve a deal with the Seminoles is all the more enticing because of the economic crisis the state budget is in.  The House has established a Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review (Learn more HERE).  The governor has included revenue from the Compact in his proposed budget for the legislature to consider.  The Senate has indicated an openness to approve a deal with the Indians.  This enormous expansion of gambling would be devastating for Florida’s families and communities. More gambling inevitably leads to increased gambling addictions, bankruptcies, crime and family turmoil.  We will alert you as soon as there is any proposal submitted or other action on this destructive Gambling Compact.

There are a number of other bills that would expand gambling, provide special rights for people who practice homosexuality, and that threaten parental rights.  We will follow these bills closely and will provide more information in future updates.  You can track these bills and others through visiting the "Legislative Updates" tab in the left navigation area of our Website www.FLfamily.org.

* If your first name does appears at the top of my letter then you are likely are a registered user of our email alert system.  If it does not then you are not a registered member.

** If you would like to receive the free weekly "Insider's Report" with analysis about what is going on behind the scenes in the legislature you will not read about in newspapers, then please log in and become a “registered member” of our e-mail system with our complete contact information HERE.  Registering will also provide you with exclusive family freindly movie premier invitations, voter guides and other valuable information.

Your generous online gift to the Policy Council right now will support our full time operation in Tallahassee educating and briefing legislators on critical issues.  Thank you for your faithful support of our mission. 

John Stemberger

President

Florida Family Policy Council