A gay rights advocacy group agrees with a decision by Attorney General Pam Bondi to let the state’s high court decide whether Florida’s gay marriage ban is legal.
Bondi's Latest Request
Late Monday, Bondi’s office filed a request with 3rd district Court of Appeal to allow the Florida Supreme Court to immediately review the ban. And, Equality Florida’s Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer says it’s about time Bondi came to that decision. His group helped six same-sex couples file one of the two Florida cases in question.
“We asked that this case be passed through to the Florida Supreme Court months ago, and it’s certainly welcome news that something is moving in the right direction here, that we’re headed for a resolution, but there is no reason for us to wait on an appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. We’ve heard from the U.S. Supreme Court and it’s time to let people get married right now,” said Pollitzer.
The filing comes just as the U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to hear appeals from five states seeking the ban. Bondi previously said she wanted to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve the issue.
But, now she says "changed circumstances" warrant having the state's highest court settle the issue.
Meanwhile, a request by gay rights supporters is still pending. They want a federal judge to allow same sex couples to marry in Florida in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Sunshine State Survey
Should same-sex marriage be legalized? The latest Sunshine State Survey—a partnership between University of South Florida and Nielsen—shows those who want to legalize same sex unions, those who want to keep the ban in place, and those who are undecided are about equally divided on the issue. USF Political Scientist Susan MacManus says there’s just a lack of consensus.
“Even a third people in the survey said they haven’t totally made up their mind about that. So, it’s an issue that Floridians disagree on. And, a lot of that stems from the fact that people in our state differ from a religious perspective on the issue as well as an ideological perspective,” said MacManus.
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