Join the Team Tuesday Feb 21st

Orange County Commission Meeting Tues. Feb. 21st @ 9:00am County Administration Building 201 S. Roaslind Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 RSVP to joe@eqfl.org SHOW UP - WEAR RED!

Will Orange County soon provide essential legal protections for gay couples? You can help determine the answer.

On Tuesday February 21st the Orange County Commission will address the question of whether Orange County should adopt a Domestic Partnership Registry similar to Orlando's.

It's critical that we fill the County Chambers with supporters ready to send a clear and simple message - it's time that Orange County pass an ordinance to create a Domestic Partnership Registry.

Wear red to the public hearing at 9am.

A domestic partnership registry is a simple thing. If created, unmarried gay and straight couples could register as legal families. Once registered, you'll be notified if your partner or partner's children are in an emergency. You'll have hospital visitation rights. You'll have end of life decision making powers. You can pick your partner's children up from school. You can make decisions for your partner after death.

Equality Florida and the Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Committee have been hard at work communicating with leaders in Orange County Government about why a domestic partnership registry ordinance that names and defines "domestic partners" is the only way to fully protect our families.

We've told them how our proposed registry is based on 20 years of tried and true public and private policy. We told them about Florida's biggest counties like Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward and Monroe and how they created registries. We've told them about world-class economic centers like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Austin, New York City, New Orleans, Phoenix and Philadelphia which all have domestic partner registries.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs has committed to bring the conversation to the Board of County Commissioners on the 21st, but hasn't yet shared what exactly she will be proposing which is why it's vital that County Commissioners hear from you.

If you can't make it to the hearing send the commissioners an email asking them to stand up in support of LGBT families in Orange County by supporting the domestic partnership registry.