The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

For the first time in 33 years, the Florida Legislature is scheduled to debate whether people should be asked about their sexual orientation when applying to adopt.

The bill would prevent people from being asked if they own guns. Our amendment would prevent people from being asked about their sexual orientation. Thanks to Rep Scott Randolph and Sen. Charlie Justice, Equality Florida succeeded in getting amendments filed in both chambers to an adoption bill that heads to the floor of both the House and Senate right now.

Right this moment, House and Senate leadership is actively trying to silence the discussion, but top allies in both chambers will fight as hard as they can alongside Equality Florida to ensure that does not happen. Pro-equality legislators are fired up and ready to make the case that the adoption ban tears families apart prevents children from being adopted.

More than one hundred Floridians are in Tallahassee right now at Equality Florida's Lobby Week having face-to-face conversations with their state legislators. Today more legislators than ever are signing on to sponsor pro-equality bills, but more are still needed to pass critical legislation. That's where you come in....

Take 30 seconds right now and be a Virtual Lobbyist!

Write to your lawmaker right now and ask them to take a stand against discrimination. Ask them to sponsor three important bills:

* The Florida Competitive Workforce Act (HB 391 by Skidmore and SB 798 by Gelber) This bill would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state law that already protects people in employment and housing based on race, religion, sex, age and disability.

* Repeal of Florida's Adoption Ban (HB 3 by Brandenburg and SB 102 by Rich) Equality Florida continues to work with legislators to repeal the ban. With approximately 3,000 children waiting for adoption in Florida's foster care system, the state desperately needs to open up the pool to include qualified gay and lesbian parents.

* Domestic Partnerships (HB 477 by Steinberg SB 232 by Sobel) This bill would create a statewide domestic partnership policy in Florida. Dozens of cities and companies in Florida already offer some form of domestic partnership benefits, but right now there are no statewide protections for our families.

Click here to send a letter to your state legislators now!