Dec 10, 2008 6:49 pm US/Eastern
Miami Beach Domestic Partnership Resolution Tabled
The Issue Has Been Tabled For February
MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) ―
Wednesday the City of Miami Beach tabled a hearing for a proposed resolution meant to protect domestic partnership benefits for February.
Miami Beach is taking steps to make sure its domestic partners policy remains strong despite the recent passage of Amendment 2, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman in Florida's constitution.
In 1998, city commissioners voted to give domestic partnership benefits to city employees, gay and straight, including health insurance benefits and bereavement leave. Several years later, the commission also passed an ordinance that created a domestic partnership registry. Couples worldwide can visit Miami Beach and register as domestic partners. By doing so, they are able to get rights such as hospital visitation, participation in healthcare decisions and emergency medical notification when they are in Miami Beach.
"Someone, it's only a matter of time, will challenge this," said Commissioner Jerry Libbin.
Libbin is sponsoring the resolution that supports these existing policies. It's designed to let people know that Amendment 2 does not affect the city's domestic partnership policies. A vote was supposed to take place Wednesday before it was tabled. Him and LGBT leaders are concerned that no one showed up to support the measure in Wednesday's meeting.
"I find it regrettable that this commission has so much difficulty in endorsing something that's positive," he said. "If you're worried about putting a bullseye in your back, that's exactly what you've done, by causing a whole discussion over something that should have been passed unanimously."
Miami Beach Mayor Mattie Herrera Bower told
CBS4 she didn't think the resolution was necessary but would vote in support of it anyway.
"Commissioner Libbin made a statement for the LGBT community, and it's like we slapped him and didn't accept it," said Miami Beach Resident Sherry Roberts. "I think it's outrageous."
In May of 2008, the Miami-Dade commission also passed a proposal to extend health insurance benefits and other legal rights to the domestic partners who live with county employees, including gay couples. Broward County has also passed domestic partnership policies.
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