Florida bill SB-530 is sailing through the Sunshine State’s legislature. The bill mandates that “an adoption agency or entity, whether public or private, may not: (1) Consider the lawful possession, storage, or use of a firearm or ammunition in determining a person’s suitability to adopt. (2) Require an adoptive parent or prospective adoptive parent to disclose information relating to a person’s lawful possession, storage, or use of a firearm or ammunition as a condition to adopt. (3) Restrict the lawful possession, storage, or use of a firearm or ammunition as a condition for a person to adopt. And prohibits Florida adoption agencies from forcing potential adoptive parents to register their firearms with the agency as a condition of adoption. Further, it will stop agencies from forcing these parents to follow gun control regulations regarding storage of firearms and ammunition created by the agency.” TBO.com says Florida Democrats are playing D on this one. Well, actually, not entirely . . .
Democrats did not attack the actual bill. Instead, they floated amendments in both chambers that would repeal the ban on gay and lesbian adoptions. In the Senate, Democratic speakers said the ban was outdated and unconscionable in a state where 3,000 children await adoption and 25,000 kids are in foster care.
Yeah, who’s against discrimination now? Cue hubbub.
No Republicans rose to speak for or against the Democratic amendment. During the speeches, several Republicans were away from their desks, holding private conversations on the Senate floor.
Charlie Justice of St. Petersburg, the Senate sponsor of the amendment, withdrew it after the Democrats had their say. Justice said later he had to agree to withdraw the bill or Republican Rules Chairman Alex Villalobos would have objected that the amendment was not germane to the bill, forestalling debate.
