Decision Time: California Marriage Ruling Imminent

Anyday now, the California Supreme Court will issue a ruling in the Prop 8/ Marriage Equality case and decide whether a bare majority of voters can strip a minority group of their basic civil rights.

With more than 37 million residents, California is the most populous state in the country and the court's decision is sure to have an immediate and profound impact nationwide.

That's why Equality Florida is inviting our members to join an Online Briefing with state leaders from California that will be scheduled within 24 hours of the decision. 

We'll provide you all with first-hand information from those on the front line of the marriage equality battle. Click here to RSVP and we'll send you the log-in information when the decision comes down.

The Court will likely decide in one of three ways:

1. Strike down Prop 8 completely and allow all couples the
   freedom to marry,
2. Deny same-gender couples the freedom to marry going forward but allow the 18,000 couples who have already married to retain their marriages,
3. Uphold Prop 8 and strip those 18,000 families of the
   protections that come with legally recognized marriage.

As we await the California Supreme Court's decision, consecutive Marriage Equality victories across the country have are transforming the national landscape. Since the California Supreme Court heard the arguments to strike down Prop 8, Vermont and Maine have joined Massachusetts and Connecticut as Marriage Equality states. New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey have all made great strides and are poised to achieve marriage equality soon.

The result of these successes has been a profound sea change in public opinion, both nationally and here in Florida. Just this week, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed "a sharp shift in public opinion on same-sex marriage. Forty-nine percent said it should be legal for gay people to marry"-an 11 point shift from a similar poll conducted by the Post just three years ago.

Here in Florida 77 percent of voters now believe that same-gender couples deserve at least some legal protections, whether provided through marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnership.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1 - Join Our Online Strategy Update - Get first-hand information from the leaders on the California marriage equality battle. Click here to sign up for a rapid response session now.

2 - Help Us Find Couples Married in California - If you or someone you know are among the 18,000 couples who have married in California, we want to hear from you. Capturing the stories of Florida families directly impacted by the decision will be a powerful in demonstrating the impact on the lives of real people in our state. Please contact [email protected].