Wilton Manors Applauds HB 7013 Ending Florida Law Banning Gay Adoption
On June 11, 2015, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed HB 7013, legislation that relates to adoption and foster care. In addition to awarding incentive payments to community-based care lead agencies (CBCs) and their subcontractors for achieving specified adoption performance standards, the bill also removes the nearly 40-year old ban on adoption by gay and lesbian Floridians from Florida law.
“This is a good step forward for gay and lesbian Floridians,” said Mayor Gary Resnick. “Even though the courts have already struck down Florida’s ban on gay and lesbian adoption, this confirms that more and more policymakers are moving in the right direction.”
HB 7013 repeals a provision of Florida law that has not been enforced since 2010 because the Third District Court of Appeal ruledFlorida’s law prohibiting adoption based on sexual orientation to be unconstitutional. Following the court’s 2010 action, the state’s adoption law requires officials to assess potential adoptive parents according to the best interests of the child, regardless of the parents’ sexual orientation.
“Unfortunately, the same week as Florida is moving toward eliminating discrimination against the LGBT community, the state of North Carolina took a big step backward,” states Resnick in response to the North Carolina General Assembly overriding the Governor’s veto on a bill allowing judges to refuse to perform same-sex marriages if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
“Same-sex marriage is legal in North Carolina, however this action by North Carolina’s General Assembly allows magistrates and registrars to refuse to perform same sex marriage ceremonies,” states Resnick. “Businesses and citizens throughout the country support marriage equality. The North Carolina legislature’s action unfortunately preserves aspects of discrimination in that State and is extremely disappointing.”
As a result of the 2010 US Census, the City of Wilton Manors was named the “Second gayest City” in the United States. With a large percentage of the population identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, Wilton Manors has been recognised nationally and internationally as one of the most progressive places to live, work and play for many years. Mayor Gary Resnick is one of the longest serving openly gay elected officials in Florida, and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida League of Cities, Board of Directors of the Florida League of Mayors, and was one of the first members of the national Mayors for the Freedom to Marry.