Amendment 2 will not only affect gay and lesbian Floridians, but all unmarried couples, especially seniors who can share some benefits such as hospital visitation privileges and health care coverage without being married.
With the passage of Amendment 2, domestic partnerships in Broward and Palm Beach Counties and the cities of Tampa, Gainesville and Miami Beach could be threatened. Also, companies and universities that offer domestic partnership benefits, such as insurance.
The Florida Legislature has warned about Amendment 2:"(The Amendment) adds a new prohibition for unions that are 'the substantial equivalent' of marriage. The amendment provides no definition for the phrase 'substantial equivalent thereof,' which lends to the ambiguity of the wording of the proposed amendment." The warning continues: "If domestic partnership registries are deemed substantially equivalent to marriage, their termination could place registrants at risk of losing specified rights and benefits, such as those related to health insurance."
"Some local governments that currently extend health insurance and other benefits to domestic partners may be impacted."
"By invalidating any union or 'substantial equivalent thereof,' this amendment could be raised as a defense in domestic violence cases, resulting in fewer domestic violence convictions."
Florida all ready has four statutes that define marriage as only between one man and one woman.
