The largest civil rights Organization Calling This press conference The defense in there this is a patently unconstitutional outdated But first we want to acknowledge As you may have heard last night from here on this and this is Discrimination protections for state workers in the This order Larry the events of protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity Following the tragedy at pulse nightclub equality Florida Beach numerous speeds and then gonna We have leadership and governor And we are deeply disappointed We intend to reach out to the governor's office to understand why our community was admitted from these protections and understand what governor hear santa's will commit to to ensure non discrimination protections for all syrians including can take you through We respected the executive order and We know that all floridians deserve dignity and equality and Thank you for the defense of marriage act undermines that dignity The defense of marriage act is in fact It says that only a marriage between a man and a woman Is valid in the state and it prohibits the state from honor and marriage between two consenting same-sex silence but it has no legal effect it is Equality Florida applause the legislators standing with us here today Senator On appealing the discriminatory and unconstitutional statute that Passing the House bill six zero zero nine it Senate bill two 54 will show that Florida truly is a state that respects every authority with that I'd like to turn Thank you John harris good afternoon everyone thank you for joining us today and I'm so proud of States about the recall in Florida millions of LGBTQ plus three of the crossover estates along side and that's the calling the House and Senate to come together to fight for equality in the great state of Florida District 47 the area that I'm proud to represent this home to pulse nightclub and its John harris spoke to when the tragedy occurred at pulse at our community came together and you're buying around housing policy life competitive person Killing don't lie conversion van therapy doing our part and it's not only members be able to keep plus community that has accomplishes that better to fight for fully in every angle and the conversation with the governor's office started day one after cults and now if you we stand with the a new governor in place um that these rights being completely ignore and dehumanizing to our floridians who just wish to live life their authentic selves our efforts were killed Oman is step one among many layers Policy that you can see this legislative session as we continue to uh beat the draw on marriage equality and LGBTQ ranks across our state I was no no real surprise anyone here that Florida has a deadly history when it comes to marriage equality um don't know his place in the books for state Legislature and a year after it hit the federal And even after that you know we had a Supreme court decision that's for marriage equality in the state of Florida still dragging its feet on the issue and it wasn't until actually four years ago this week that we passed marriage equality in the great state of Florida and so uh as we embark on this new administration uh we wanna do our parts as a lawmakers to set a tone that equality is gonna be one of our gender issues and for me from the idea of repealing don't good easy and I'm honored to have uh Francis sponsor representative added pastor Lee what will happen to uh provide a space to share a few parts Thank you very much um I get to As governor discount is stated yesterday it is not for us the uh the people loan power to the government in order to protect our rights you know his role is not to run our And I can't think of more fundamental uh happen quite to pursue happiness freedom to choose who you are removing this out that language from our long books as represented as one says just one step we're taking a step to keep government out of our homes and our hearts and to show people that Florida so the people of Florida that we considered everyone truly people instead of treating some people more involved and offers Thank you and I'd like to invite Secretary farmer up Tuesday % so Thank you for you know um the time has come To do away with the law that was passed It is has been sending in a local state and federal court including the United States Supreme court and just got ready to hear All floridians deserve dignity and equality of the law to including lgbt cute uh Uh the defense of marriage act remains in our books as a reminder Discrimination and daily indignities that LGBTQ floridians have faced for years you know marriage carries with the legal impacts are it creates rights duties and responsibilities under the law This is more than just illegal it's immoral it's recognition of doing what is right as are recognized And frankly it's recognition and acknowledgment of the power We have so much Negativity in our society and we as a state and through our legislative process should not continue to keep on the books in the law That seems to the more something is important to us as a society as loves love recognized no barriers of jump hurdles the expenses penetrates walls to arrive at his destination full of over and it's our hope that in the appealing this antiquated law we give recognition to the power of Every person has regardless of their sexual orientation to express that Thank you for being here left over with my good friend and colleague senator Jose javier Rodriguez Thank you senator farmer uh center's cruz and perfect for joining us and our colleagues in the House of Harris evening others uh as well as all It's coming from all over the state have been fighting for equality for a long time and I'm honored to join everybody here today uh to join with senator farmer in this legislation to undo discrimination that is in our stations uh this discriminatory language in our statute does not defend marriage it doesn't exact opposite uh the highest court in the state before the highest court in the land has to Marriages and has a duncan discrimination that remains in our statute this is a simple fix let's make sure our statues don't discriminate and conform to the constitution that's what this is about and you know we were able to do this as a Legislature when I came to uh a discriminatory and completely unjustified adoption Again now and I wanna say as well I I'm very glad that um the John By eventually one of the actions that uh our governor took it yesterday it context and timing matters we look at what's going on elsewhere in the country in terms of governors were being an aggregated the governors who are doing similar things in terms of executive orders the fact the day one uh the governor conspicuously omits uh protections that are Again this is already are law the governor is a big protections for state workers and contractors so we demand an answer Fix that you can fix this immediately you can fix this this afternoon how long before you fix it we would like to know uh and I also Everybody is welcome by the honor of asking Jim runners are join us at the podium Among other things uh lead plaintiff in the start of senator Scott uh I think sometimes we think nobody really noticed this if we need legislation in place and It's just it's just kind of hear it doesn't really have any impact Because it's already I like to this words from the judge gave us the final quarter After the decision was made and he did so despite the fact that the state had Designated our lawsuit as Pain if they have He had designated as Just go away but he made these statements the government we're here Just by promising to see no more the defendants in this case emphasize 11 service decision injections and property rights but an important difference in that case is that the defense city after only Has used to budge the child's statues remain on the books result was fully consistent with the defendants of course of this case on the Wall they have nothing you have done nothing while I'm terrible Discharged into town Afternoon I six pink or issued a verbal unlike expected immediate and other critical acceptance by the same Florida that's so Florida surgeon general filed in this court you know this verify essentially asserting that he doesn't With respect to first to get issue he will be my leading a different state statute essentially that has been struck down that's the surgeon down that's what I want you to clarify and we should ask better Injunction and a burger felt he was issue certificates from here at same-sex parents even though the Florida statute as far as At the time were the name of the father on the If the sermon general believes it's justified this motion to clarify he must comply before the same sex marriage laws until explicitly struck down this is what this case has moved to leave him free to go back to where it was before the lawsuit was Same is true for the Secretary of the Department of human services And this is the part that may be just about Because it's giving this how much hope even the state defendants history of resistance to earlier borders the breadth of the state of appointment and And the state of defense assistance of state business remain in force that are supposed to start down it cannot be said that the state defendants have unambiguously terminated their illegal practices Legislature chooses not to pass legislation to bring four All the plans is not help Independence and the bottom line on this Because of this ban and updating 500000 dollars for It's not just something that Uh just because it's been designated as our constitution Good afternoon River Joe here more with faith and public life and as always I'm honored to stand with my friends and my colleagues with equality Florida in the leadership that our legislators have Sean marriage equality is a sacred gift find distinctive design directed an enduring institution instituted by a divine go We find the perfect reflection of this institution in the words of the great King saul on the road there was a man all the Wall He had bigger a son Your spouse and there was no into his told Yet his eyes were not content with this as well use it for who by told that he ask and why am I depriving myself enjoyment To his meaningless involved Because they've never been returned for their If either of them falls one can help together but anyone who follows that has no health Also to come on down together they can keep warm together without the one people We can defend themselves or corner of cute four more strands is not I remember a few years back standing up on the steps of the courthouse in tampa over the more protest in the equality of marriage and the marginalization of savings in your loving relationships both by the church and society My now husband and I have been together for five years and this past % we celebrated the anniversary after years are badly just a side of you that doesn't broken lots of the part by In January of two thousand 15 the United States they're pretty four ended our community will fall and will preserve the Marriage equality became the law of the land In dismay thirtieth Jerry nine celebrate four years It's unfortunate that even today you must continue to fight for the leadership of this state in order for Center loving couples to be treated with dignity and the same to tear their hair in his records The best combined representative and earthly Center barbour said everybody greatness for the courage of popular legislation Didn't loving marriage Farting law Years discovering body failed to honor the very old they are four to Which is hard steaks and guarantee equal civil and To all Today I will be For allowing their amateur rise above religion in politics today I'm grateful that they understand what it means to provide and guarantee the equals il public deliver to rights to all the radios and just in case you were wondering it saying gender loving couples after to be part of all The same constitution that members of this Legislature body support to a called the same has come Interesting must the time has come for this Dec was recognize the That the marriage are staging a loving This As officer septa managers so today is trading risky encourage this legislative body to allow your age to rise above the hatred dehumanizing portrait theology of the And past half feel six zero zero 97 zero 25 work and honoring your oath of office and give the institution of marriage decide to two younger for integrity that is to do yesterday At the inaugural prayer record governor the same to spoke these words The more we turn to God The easier it will be for us to work together and solve problems And if you just say that's laughable to some degree because I hear year after year after year legislators and leadership in voting there tight The proclamation of Is not yet is the action behind that proclamation that is the answer instead of governor disadvantages now is your time to keep your money where your mouth Exercise your faith that you would both yesterday and I would say exercise that they turned to God because after all our faith teaches us to treat others as we wish to be treating If we can't love our neighbor and we have some African love within mind that we haven't seen after all you're making require In the old of office that she's four to humanity thank you Judging those ruling that established the quality When observers look back 50 years from now the arguments is supporting florida's ban same sex marriage will semen obvious pretext for discrimination We don't often get the chance to correct But we can this past Sunday January six committed same sex couples across Florida celebrated their fourth anniversary the traditional gift for your ones paper here to his cotton year threes letter and therefore should be recognizing your So let's pass House bill six zero zero nine and then the Senate bill two 54 thank you very much Uh This year I think this year the competitive workforce act as the festival Election results in November Tremendous bipartisan Many of the elected officials um why do you think that President Clinton and governor child signed these bills into law and when Democrats Democratic officials start seeing LGBTQ rights as something to uh not to optimize and bargain and signal your ship to the right on It's a great question I mean to echo uh genre since point you always get the chance to go up to the Street to go back and make it better um I came for the younger generation for me I have a first uh LGBTQ family was in Middle school and uh I think for all of us here we we've always honored people to be their authentic selves and that's why we stand here together today um it takes courage to look in your backyard today we got a lot of work to do and the personal stories of LGBTQ families across the country I think the stories of those who supported this past bigoted Many of their family members are realty q and as they begin sharing their stories that led to a cultural shift um the Legislature going to so much in the culture takes time to move but setting a tone to say that we honor marriage and uh between any gender in this great state and that we also practice gender exclusivity in that matter um but hopefully uh change that I can never forget hearing once word but said a new direction we want to be Yeah In responding to your question I would say as well why get former presidents and have The segregation of schools in and sign on to segregation it was a uh it was a time and uh they recognize their goals and they took action to make our country Here I am the mother of the But today is Antiquated done as antiquated ask It's time for children just ridiculous when we sit here if you think about what we're You may not agree with this What happen when we desegregated schools but this is about human This is about a We'll be able to walk into a hospital room to see his or her partner Legally They are spouse Here we are that we're discussing this in uh in this new year it's time that our laws um catch up whatever God Asking you to subscribe to that we're asking for the human right of individuals who have LGBTQ and believe and love who they love