Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 17, 2016

Jacksonville has shown improvement in its “LGBT friendliness” score, nearly doubling it in the last year. And the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality credits Republican Mayor Lenny Curry as the reason why. In the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, Jacksonville earned a rating of 49 out of 100 for 2016, up from 26 in 2015. FloridaPolitics.com reported a draft version […]

Scott PowersOctober 14, 2016

The Human Rights Campaign — billed as the nation’s largest gay rights organization — has endorsed Democrat Stephanie Murphy in Florida’s 7th Congressional District, her campaign announced Friday. “Stephanie Murphy is someone who will work to ensure that everyone, including LGBTQ people, can one day live free from fear of discrimination,” JoDee Winterhof, the organization’s senior vice […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 3, 2016

FloridaPolitics.com obtained a draft copy of the Human Rights Campaign’s municipal scorecard, and year-over-year there has been some improvement. The preliminary number this year is 31 out of 100 — an unimpressive showing by the standards of most major cities, but up from 23 in 2015, and 20 in 2014. The final number, meanwhile, could be […]

Associated PressAugust 4, 2016

The administrator of a $23 million fund for survivors and family members of the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando that left 49 patrons dead warned Thursday that squabbling over estate questions could be the biggest obstacle to distributing the money. Ken Feinberg told about 200 family members and survivors at the first of […]

Mitch PerryMarch 21, 2016

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After the June 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, more than 20 state legislatures reacted by passing religious freedom laws to protect clergy. This month, Florida became the latest state to do so after Gov. Rick Scott signed the Pastor Protection Act. The new law shields religious entities […]

Melissa RossMarch 7, 2016

Activists fighting the decades-long struggle for LGBT equality in America have long been skilled at the long game. From the 1969 Stonewall riots to the 2015 nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage, this is a patient movement, one that has nudged the culture inexorably over a half-century toward greater acceptance and inclusion. To that end, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 5, 2016

On Friday, the Florida Businesses for a Competitive Workforce (FBCW) coalition delivered a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of its Monday hearing. The letter provides information on why SB 120 by Sen. Joe Abruzzo and HB 45 by Rep. Holly Raschein must be heard in committee. Among other assertions the letter makes: Polling indicates 68 percent […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 10, 2015

On Wednesday evening, former Jacksonville mayoral candidate and current Jax Chamber Chairwoman-elect Audrey Moran, at Intuition Ale Works in North Riverside, made the case for expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance. Moran, who has been unstinting in this case for years, spoke at a Jacksonville Coalition for Equality “Happy Hour” event, opening her remarks with […]

Melissa RossNovember 30, 2015

Back in 2012, he was one of a chorus of evangelical pastors in North Florida speaking out against updating Jacksonville’s human rights ordinance to cover LGBT citizens from discrimination in jobs, housing and public accommodations. But now, the Reverend R.L. Gundy has changed his mind. “There’s no conflict between your Biblical stance and the issue. […]

Phil AmmannNovember 24, 2015

Ten firms from the Florida Businesses for a Competitive Workforce Coalition received a perfect score this week on the annual Human Rights Campaign ranking of workplace equality. In an announcement Tuesday, the corporations scoring a 100 percent rating on the 2016 Corporate Equity Index include such Florida-based companies as Akerman LLP, AT&T, Florida Blue, Carlton […]

Tag: Human Rights Campaign

Equality group credits mayor with huge leap in Jacksonville’s LGBT friendliness score

Nation’s largest gay rights group endorses Stephanie Murphy in CD 7

Jacksonville makes strides in LGBT protections, claims Human Rights Campaign

Administrator: Pulse nightclub shooting fund up to $23 million

Florida’s Pastor Protection Act doesn’t go as far as Georgia’s — and that’s a good thing for NFL fans

Jax Coalition for Equality keeps up the HRO pressure

State business coalition urges Senate panel to hear statewide human rights bill

Audrey Moran issues Jax HRO “call to action”

Jax pastor R.L. Gundy on HRO switch: “we cannot discriminate”

10 Florida employers recognized as national Best Places to Work for LGBT employees