FLORIDA: Marriage Deadline Is Today

The above tweet from a Florida news outlet doesn't quite tell the full story. Via Equality Florida:

Friday, October 24 is a critical day for marriage equality in Florida. That is the deadline for Attorney General Pam Bondi to decide if she will oppose a request that a federal judge lift a stay and allow marriage licenses to be issues to same-sex couples in Florida. Earlier this month the US Supreme Court paved the way for marriages for same-sex couples to commence in 13 states by refusing to hear appeals of five circuit court rulings that found state bans unconstitutional. The ACLU and lawyers for plaintiffs in a concurrent case immediately asked Judge Hinkle to lift the stay he put in place in January when he declared the ban a violation of equal protection and due process. “Even if she continues to pursue an appeal, Attorney General Bondi should not hold our state and our families hostage by calling for the stay to remain in place. Should she choose to appeal, let her follow the lead of the 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court and allow marriages to commence. Every day that Floridians are denied access to the protections only marriage can provide, our families suffer," added Nadine Smith, Equality Florida CEO.

Most expect Bondi to oppose lifting the stay.