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Florida Passes Gay Rights Law
by Fidel Ortega
365Gay.com Newscenter
Miami Bureau
Posted: May 22, 2003 6:53 p.m. ET
(Tallahassee, Florida) Florida Governor Jeb Bush is expected to sign a sweeping civil rights bill that includes protections for gays and lesbians.
The Senate gave final approval to the bill despite questions from some state senators who said it might jeopardize churches that discriminate against gays.
Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, told senators before the vote that the nation was watching.
"Let's send a message across the country, when you come to Florida you're welcome," Hill said.
Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg was the only dissenting vote when the roll was called. Amendments proposed by Cowin to weaken gay rights proposals were voted down. Cowin urged passage of one proposed change which would have exempted places of worship, religious groups and nonprofit corporations.
Without the amendment "the Boy Scouts could be sued because they don't allow women," she said.
The 36-1 vote was a far cry from the last attempt to gain passage. The previous bill died on the Senate floor when the session ended.
The law will allow the attorney general's office could sue on behalf of people whose civil rights were violated by businesses.
Attorney General Charlie Crist was in the chamber to watch the final vote. He likened the bill's passage to ''fulfilling the promise of Abraham Lincoln, Gov. LeRoy Collins'' and Florida civil rights pioneers.
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