FAMILY PRIDE COALITION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

[Ian David]

FAMILY PRIDE COALITION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Dear Families:

Never before have we, as a parenting community, been more organized and committed and conversely, never before has the onslaught of legislation been so challenging to the fabric of our families and community. We know we must fight because what could be more precious, more central than family? The Family Pride Coalition, along with our allies both gay and straight, are poised to support our families in declaring our real family values of love, commitment and protection -- now more than ever.

Below you will find a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of legislation of particular impact on LGBT parents and prospective parents. Also included, where possible, is information on how you can get more involved with your own statewide political group to help fight – or in the case of Florida, support – these measures. The Family Pride Coalition will continue to keep you updated on these issues.

Thank you for continuing to support your national parenting community through your attention to the political tide and its impact on all of us. Together, we can fight to bring our mission to fruition: Equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families.

As always, we appreciate your support of all our families.

Aimee Gelnaw Corri Planck
Executive Director Director of Advocacy, Communications & Support



Five States Face Anti-Gay Foster Care, Adoption Bills
Adoption Bill Defeated in Virgina; Fight to Repeal Florida Ban Continues

Alabama
In Alabama, Senate Bill 57, authored by State Senator Henry E. “Hank” Erwin (R) would prohibit “homosexuals” from adopting. The bill was introduced Feb. 1.

For more information, or to get involved, contact Equality Alabama at www.equalityalabama.org.

Arkansas
In response to a recent court ruling that overturned the state’s regulation that banned lesbian or gay people – and anyone living in a household with a gay or lesbian adult – from being foster parents, Arkansas State Representative Bob Adams (D) has introduced a bill, HB 1119, that would prohibit the state from placing children in “homosexual homes.”

A house committee, likely fearing a court challenge to the discriminatory measure, dropped any mention of homosexuality from the measure. Instead, the legislation has been amended to prohibit a child from being adopted by, or placed in a foster home with, any unmarried adult who is cohabitating “in a relationship that is not a legally valid and binding marriage” under the state constitution. The revised bill defines cohabitating as residing with another person and being involved in a sexual relationship with that person but makes no mention of sexuality.

Arkansas voters overwhelmingly passed a state constitutional amendment in November, 2004, banning the recognition of same-sex marriages.

Florida
In Florida, the legislative measure is an attempt to remove the ban on “homosexuals” adopting and define the standard as the best interest of the person to be adopted, and require an assessment of the prospective parent. Senate Bill 986 is authored by Senator Mandy Dawson, and enjoys the support of Equality Florida and Florida’s Coalition for Fair Adoption, of which the Family Pride Coalition is a member.

In addition, SB 1534, authored by Senator Nan Rich (D), has also been filed, a measure that would modify Florida’s ban to allow a court to consider an adoption petitition by a "homosexual.” If a court finds, “by clear and convincing evidence, that the adoptee resides with the person proposing to adopt … and granting the adoptee permanency in that home is more important to the adoptee’s development and psychological needs than maintaing the adoptee in a temporary placement.”

For more information on the Coalition for Fair Adoption, go to www.fairadoption.org.

Indiana
In the Hoosier State, two anti-gay bills were filed on Jan. 20 in the General Assembly. The first, SB 580, authored by Senator Jeff Drozda (R) would only allow married couples of the opposite sex to adopt. SB 585, authored by Senator John M. Waterman (R), would prohibit homosexuals from adopting or serving as foster parents. Both measures have been referred to the judiciary committee.

For more information, or to get involved, contact Indiana Equality at www.incoalition.org.

Oregon
In Oregon, State Representative John Lim (R-Fairview) has introduced House Bill 2401, designed to limit adoption rights for same-sex couples by requiring the State of Oregon to exercise a preference for married, heterosexual parents over same-sex parents.

Join the Family Pride Coalition in supporting Basic Rights Oregon to defeat this measure by participating in the Basic Rights Oregon Day of Action on Thurs., March 3. The Day of Action will begin at 9am and end at 5:30pm. The day will include a lobby training, a rally on the Capital steps at noon, lunch with Basic Rights Oregon and afternoon visits with elected officials.

Participants are asked to pre-register to best organize legislative visits. You can sign up at http://www.basicrights.org/volunteer/volunteersignup.asp. Please contact Jessica DuBois of Basic Rights Oregon at [phone] or at [e-mail] for more information.

Tennessee
Tennessee lawmakers have filed five bills, all designed to prohibit “homosexuals” from adopting. Senator Diane Black (R) has filed SB 829 and Representative Dewayne Bunch filed a companion measure, HB 543, to create a ban on adoption by lesbians and gay men. SB 829 has been placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s calendar for Feb. 22.

HB 775, authored by Representative Chris Clem (R), and its companion measure, SB 1615, authored by Senator Jim Bryson (R), go even further. In addition to prohibiting adoption by “homosexuals,” this measure also seeks to deny non-gay parents the ability to designate a “known homosexual” as the adoptive parents of their children.

If four bills weren’t enough, Senator Doug Jackson (D) also filed SB 1930, which “prohibits homosexual persons from being eligible to adopt another person.”

For more information, or to get involved with the Tennessee Equality Project, go to www.tnep.org or contact the public policy coordinator at [e-mail] or at [phone].

Virginia
In Virginia, the anti-gay adoption bill was defeated in the General Assembly on Wed., Feb.16. The measure, HB 2921, authored by Delegate Richard Black (R), would have prohibited homosexuals from adopting.

The bill was amended to permit the circuit court making a decision about an adoption petition to inquire “whether the petitioner is known to engage in current voluntary homosexual activity or is unmarried and cohabitating with another adult to whom he is not related by blood or marriage.”

However, during the Courts of Justice Committee hearing on Feb. 16, several state senators called the measure discriminatory and unnecessary before voting to kill it.

The Family Pride Coalition is the only national non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families.

By becoming a member of the Family Pride Coalition you have the opportunity to dramatically affect the lives of LGBT parents and their families. Please join the Family Pride Coalition today by filling out our online membership form by clicking http://www.familypride.org/joinus.htm.