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UPCOMING EVENTS
Florida Senate Public Hearing on Foster Care and Adoption
The
Florida Senate Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs,
chaired by District 10 Senator Ronda Storms, will hold a series of 3 Public
Hearings on Foster Care and Adoption.
This
may be the only opportunity in 2007 for fair minded Floridians to be
heard in regard to repealing the ban on adoption by gay Floridians.
Hearing #3: Monday,
December 3, 2007
TIME:
6:30 - 9:00 pm (Please arrive at 5:30 to sign up to speak) LOCATION:
Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, 300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami,
FL 33132
Building
1000 at the corner of NE 2nd Ave. and NE 3rd St. http://mdc.edu/wolfson/generalInfo/campus_map.asp The hearing will
allow the public to discuss all issues related to foster care or
adoption. It is vital that our community have a strong presence at this
hearing to share our stories and demand the committee take action.
This will be the only opportunity that
the South Florida community will have to speak directly to the
committee that has the power to end Florida’s ban on gay and
lesbian adoption. We need families
of ALL shapes and sizes to come and share their stories about how
this ban hurts our families and prevents children from finding
permanent, loving homes.
WHAT
you can do: - PACK THE
HOUSE - Please come to the hearing. It is important that we show
how many people care about this issue.
Bring your family and friends. - TELL YOUR STORY - Please speak at the hearing. Tell legislators
how this ban has affected your family, friend, co-worker, etc.
Each speaker is allowed 2-3 minutes.
The legislators will not give rebuttal or make any comments.
If you need talking points or encouragement, please contact
Cathy James, Board Member of Securing Our Children's Rights, Inc. at
727-424-5717 or cathy@ourchildrensrights.org -
GET THE WORD OUT - Please forward this email
to all allies in the South Florida area - VIEW THE
IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE - Please view testimony from the Tampa public
hearing at: http://www.ig.tv/VideoListPage/tabid/58/CategoryId/11/Default.aspx - STAY INFORMED at www.ourchildrensrights.org NEWSLEGISLATIVE SESSION - WEEK 4 - MARCH 26-30, 2007Week 4 saw Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, of District 69 in Sarasota, sign on as a Co-Sponsor of HB 789. The House freshman class of 2006 has been a very bright spot in this legislative session. Nine of our twelve Co-Sponsors of HB 789 were elected for their first term in November 2006. SB1012 was not on the Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs calendar this past week. The House Committee on Healthy Families did not even have a meeting last week. Neither Committees’ are scheduled for meetings this week. If you are looking for your legislator this week, check in their district office. HOUSE BILL 789 ADOPTION Sponsor Rep. Mary Brandenburg—District 89 Co-Sponsors Rep. Susan Bucher – District 88 Rep. Faye Culp – District 57Rep. Keith Fitzgerald—District 69 Rep. Bill Heller – District 52Rep. Evan Jenne – District 100 Rep. Marty Kiar – District 97Rep. Rick Kriseman – District 53 Rep. Ari Porth – District 96Rep. Scott Randolph – District 36 Rep. Maria Lorts Sachs – District 86Rep. Kelly Skidmore – District 90 Rep. Jim Waldman – District 95
2007
Legislative Session – Week 3 Summary - March 19-23, 2007 HB
789 – Adoption by Sponsor Rep. Mary Brandenburg – District 89 This week we added 2 Co-Sponsors Rep. Maria Lorts Sachs -
District 86 and Rep. Jim Waldman - District 95. The Committee on Healthy Families has had six meetings since January 1,
2007 and our bill has not been on the schedule. The Committee does not have a meeting scheduled for this
week. I encourage everyone to continue asking representatives to 1. Co-Sponsor the bill, 2. Encourage Rep.
Galvano to schedule a hearing on HB 789 A list of Representatives can be found at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx SB
1012 – Adoption by Sponsor Senator Nan Rich – District 34 This week we added 2 Co-Sponsors Sen. Arthenia Joyner –
District 18 and Sen. Jeremy Ring – District 32 The Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs has had seven
meetings since January 1, 2007 and our bill has not been on the schedule.
The Committee has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, 2007
at 3:15pm. I encourage everyone to continue asking senators to 1. Co-Sponsor the bill, 2. Encourage Senator
Storms to schedule a hearing on SB 1012 A list of Senators can be found at http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Member%20Pages&Submenu=1&Tab=legislators&CFID=8460534&CFTOKEN=23950651 Co-Sponsors
now include: Sen. Arthenia Joyner – District 18 Sen. Gwen Margolis – District 35 Sen. Jeremy Ring – District 32 Other
bills we are watching in regard to adoption: SB1388 Storms / HB1309 Galvano - redesignates Office
of Child Abuse SB 1390 Storms - This is a shell bill that is scheduled for tomorrow's meeting. SB 362 Wilson / HB803 Cusack - Qualifying
Adoptive Parents/Benefits; defines term "qualifying adoptive
parent"; expands categories of persons who are eligible to be
qualifying adoptive parents; provides that qualifying adoptive parent who
adopts special-needs child is eligible to receive specified monetary
benefit that is paid to adoptive parent in equal monthly installments over
1-year period; authorizes DMS to adopt rules to administer adoption
benefits program.
PAST EVENTS Family
Halloween Bash
Sunday,
October 28, 2007 @ MCC
Tampa 408
East Cayuga St.
ST PETE PRIDE - JUNE 30, 2007 Everyone is welcome to walk with SOCR in the parade starting promptly at 10:00am. After the parade make sure to bring the kids and stop by the KIDSZONE for some fun.
Valuing
Our Families Conference
- March 24 and 25, 2007 (
CO-SPONSORED by SOCR ) A
weekend of events for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (glbt)
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