Live Blog: the freedom to marry comes to Florida

It's set to be an exciting week for the freedom to marry in Florida! A federal judge's stay in favor of the freedom to marry expired on January 6, Tuesday, at midnight, ushering in the freedom to marry state-wide in Florida. As news comes in this week from Florida, Freedom to Marry will be updating this live blog, embedding tweets, reporting on the latest news and sharing photos. You should also follow along with Equality Florida's great Twitter feed (@EqualityFL) and use the hashtag #FLMarriage on Twitter!

Congratulations to all the happy couples who were married in Florida today!

Thanks for sticking with us today, as hundreds of loving, committed same-sex couples married in Florida, where the freedom to marry will help families and hurt no one. These stories and pictures show that Florida is ready for a final marriage ruling from the 11th Circuit, and once and for all, love will win.

2:55pm • Mayor Rick Kriseman of St. Petersburg officiates weddings for same-sex couples

1:00pm • NCLR directs Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to advise all state agencies to recognize married same-sex couples

On the heels of yesterday's historic lifting of Florida's discriminatory ban on same-sex marriage, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, legal counsel for the plaintiffs in Pareto v Ruvin, sent the following letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling on her to direct all state agencies to immediately recognize all married couples.

While clerks throughout the state are issuing licenses to same-sex couples, other agencies and institutions may not be in compliance, e.g., hospitals that may not realize that they must put the names of BOTH parents on a birth certificate, regardless of whether they are two fathers or two mothers.

Read the full release here.

 

12:15pm • Even more congratulations in order as same-sex couples continue to get hitched across the state!