House OK on gay adoption has Christian right putting faith in Senate

The conservative-leaning Florida House Wednesday OK’d an amendment to a bill to remove a ban on gay adoption from state law. The final vote was 68-50. The amendment is part of a larger bill that creates incentives for Floridians to adopt children in state care.

The vote came despite a last hour pitch against it by a number of Christian conservatives such as John Stemberger, who urged his congregation via a mass email to stop what he called the “ramrodded” amendment being approved by the Republican leadership.

For decades, Florida law banned gays from adopting. In September 2010, though, Florida’s 3rd District Court of Appeal held that law was unconstitutional.

Among those who supported the bill was Miami Republican Frank Artiles. His legislation to bar transsexuals from using public bathroom of their original gender has brought him nationwide mockery and scorn  in certain circles. “In the last couple of weeks I’ve been called a lot of names. Horrible names,” Artiles said, after he told other House members to quiet down as he began to speak. “I’ve been called a homophobe; I’ve been called a transphobe; and some I won’t even repeat in this hallowed chamber.”

He said the name he was most proud of was “father,” and that’s why he was supporting the legislation. He said the previous law that banned gays from adopting children was “wrong.”

“Not only is it unfair to these couples who want a better life for a child in need, and become parents, but it hurts those children who want and need a stable and loving home, and loving parents,” he said.

Another social conservative, Ocala Republican Dennis Baxley, also came out in support of the amendment, but not without telling his colleagues about his angst in coming to that conclusion. He said it was one of the toughest votes he’s made since being an elected official.

“This is not a gay adoption bill,” he said, though he maintained that “God’s design was for a child to have a mother and a father.”

He said it was the first bill in a long time to go through the Legislature that would give children the chance to enter a family: “And that matters to me.”

“This bill is about creating new families, creating opportunities for children to move out of foster care,” St. Petersburg Democrat Darryl Rouson said. “This bill will promote safety and healthy adoptions, and promote positive post-adoption outcomes.”

Some Christian conservatives aren’t giving up the fight, though.

“Regardless of the immediate outcome in the Florida House, let’s not forget that there is a separate chamber, the Florida Senate, who is still working on their version of this comprehensive package,” said Bill Bunkley, president of Florida Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Matthew Staver of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel told the Christian Examiner that any one who votes for the bill should be removed from office.