Florida’s Amendment 2 = California’s Proposition 8

by Samuel Febres

There are arguments that in Florida, this amendment isn’t necessary since there are statutes that already restrict marriage in Florida to 1 man and 1 woman.

From Florida Statute 741.212 (1):
“Marriages between persons of the same sex entered into in any jurisdiction … domestic or foreign … or relationships between persons of the same sex, which are treated as marriages in any jurisdiction, whether within or outside the State of Florida, the United States, or any other jurisdiction … or any other place or location, are not recognized for any purpose in this state.”

From Florida Statute 741.212 (2):
“The state, its agencies, and its political subdivisions may not give effect to any public act, record or judicial proceeding of any state, territory, possession, or tribe of the United States or of any other jurisdiction … domestic or foreign, or any other place or location respecting either a marriage or relationship not recognized under subsection (1) or a claim arising from such a marriage or relationship.”

From Florida Statute 741.212 (3):
“For purposes of interpreting any state statute or rule, the term ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the term ‘spouse’ applies only to a member of such a union.”

And just for good measure…

Florida Statute 741.04 (1) prohibits any judge or clerk of the court from issuing a marriage license “unless one party is a male and the other party is a female.”– SayNo2.com

There are also arguments that says we need to protect the sanctity of marriage, and that marriage is and should be defined as 1 man and 1 woman, and that traditional marriage needs to be protected by poor rulings of activist judges.

What’s your take on this? Are you for or against Amendment 2? Do you consider this to be unnecessary legislation or is this something that we need to make sure ‘activist judges’ cannot mess around with?

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