Miami Republican Joins Florida Democrats in Calling for Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages

Tallahassee, Fl- Miami Representative Fabián Basabe (R) has filed bills to repeal Florida’s Constitution’s definition of marriage and remove recognition prohibitions of same-sex marriages.

Florida’s Constitution defines marriage as “the union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife.”

Aside from limiting marriage to husband and wife, the Florida constitution expressly prohibits the recognition of “other legal unions” characterized as marriages. Additionally, Florida statutes ban recognition of same-sex marriages.  

Representative Basabe, who earlier this month filed a 12-week abortion ban, is now proposing Florida amend its constitutional definition of marriage to include homosexual marriage. Basabe is also advocating for the repealment of any statutory language banning same sex marriages in Florida. 

Last, week, Florida Senator Tina Scott Polsky (D) filed a bill to repeal Florida law that prohibits same sex marriages within the state. Basabe’s bill serves as a companion to Senator Polsky’s proposal. 

The nationwide legalization of same sex marriages in 2016 by the United States Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) decision in Obergefell v. Hodges effectively nullified Florida’s ban.

For seven years in a row, Florida Democrats have filed bills to remove Florida statutes’ ban of same-sex marriage to no avail. 

Basabe has also been actively following the development of the Israeli-Hamas conflict and its impacts on his constituency. Basabe recently published a statement commenting on the fears of his Jewish constituency regarding rising anti-semitic sentiment. 

 “Our local Jewish Community has reached out, concerned about the current political climate of the Nation, and I am here to tell you – in your beautiful town and in the rest of my District, I will do everything I can to make sure you are safe,” said Basabe.