Mar 19, 2008 10:48 am US/Eastern
Weston Senator Wants To End Gay Adoption Ban
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
Hoping to reverse a three decades old ban on adoptions by gay and lesbian couples because of their sexual orientation, state Senator Nan Rich of Weston has introduced a new bill that would instruct judges to consider the child's best when placing them in permanent homes.
Florida is just one of three states that ban gay and lesbian couples from adopting children; the other two are Mississippi and Utah.
Under Rich's bill, gay foster parents would be allowed to adopt children if a judge rules it's in the child's best interest. Also, a gay adult would be considered a potential adoptive parent if he or she were the legal guardian of the child whose parents had died.
Rich's proposal has received support from a number of groups including the National Council of Jewish Women, ACLU and Planned Parenthood.
Those who have opposed changing the ban include Governor Charlie Crist, who has publicly supported civil unions between gay couples, and state Senator Ronda Storms of Brandon, who ran for office on a pledge to prevent gays from being foster parents.
More than 39-hundred children are in Florida's foster care system awaiting permanent homes.
Rich's bill to repeal the ban has been assigned to a committee headed by Storms who has refused to bring it up for debate or a vote.
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