MIAMI BEACH CITY COMMISSION SAYS NO 2
OIA Newswire

MIAMI, Fla. (July 18, 2008) – The Miami Beach City Commission condemned Amendment 2, the so-called "Florida Marriage Protection Amendment," during its Wednesday, July 16 meeting. Sponsored by Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, the motion was made by Commissioner Richard Steinberg and approved 7-0.

"It was the right thing to do and I was proud to bring it to my colleagues and grateful for their unanimous support," said Mayor Bower.

Miami Beach is one of a growing number of government entities to establish Domestic Partnership Registries which offer specific rights and benefits such as hospital visitation and emergency decision making to unmarried partners. Amendment 2 threatens these registries by prohibiting the state from recognizing anything that is "treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof."

"Miami Beach is proud of the progress we have made in opening access to important benefits to our residents," Commissioner Steinberg said. "It doesn't make any sense to allow Amendment 2 to take us backwards."

Other cities and counties offering registries or other benefits to unmarried partners include City of Tampa, Broward and Palm Beach Counties and the Cities of Gainesville and Key West. The Miami-Dade Commission approved a county-wide Domestic Partnership Registry expected to begin in August.

Written in vague and undefined language, Amendment 2 could have dramatic consequences for Florida's committed adults who form domestic partnerships, including unmarried seniors, eliminating their ability to share important health care and pension benefits. At a time when Florida faces a number of challenges, opponents of Amendment 2 view it as unnecessary government interference in the lives of Floridians.

In condemning Amendment 2, Miami Beach commissioners join other prominent Florida organizations to oppose Amendment 2, including the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Florida's Professional Firefighters and the Florida Education Association.

For more information on Florida Red & Blue's SayNo2 campaign, please log on to www.SayNo2.com.

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Full Story. [7/18/08]