DOMESTIC PARTNER ORDINANCE NOW LAW!

The Domestic Partners and Family Health Coverage Ordinance Becomes Law After Surviving Last Minute Onslaught From the Christian Family Coalition Urging Mayor Alvarez to Veto Measure

Miami, FL (June 2, 2008) – Thanks to the support of Mayor Carlos Alvarez, the Domestic Partners and Family Health Coverage Ordinance is now law in Miami-Dade County. The Miami-Dade County Commission approved the ordinance at their meeting on May 20, 2008 in a historic 8 to 4 vote. Any measure that is passed automatically becomes law after 10 calendar days unless vetoed by the mayor.

During that period the Christian Family Coalition, through email, phone calls, and the power of Spanish-language radio, put mounting pressure on the Mayor to veto the measure. We thank Mayor Carlos Alvarez for his keeping his promise to our community, allowing the ordinance to become law. Now Miami-Dade County employees work in a fair workplace that administers benefits equally.

The county now has 80 days left to implement the ordinance giving county employees the ability to extend health insurance benefits to their domestic partners and the dependents of their domestic partners.

The ordinance creates a domestic partner registry that county employees, county residents and visitors may use to officially register a domestic partnership. These registries are important as many private sector companies rely on them to extend their own health and employee benefit packages to the domestic partners of their employees.

"We thank the Miami-Dade County Commission and Mayor Alvarez for their courage and recognition that work-place equality is important," says Heddy Peña, SAVE's Executive Director.

Again, thank you, all of SAVE's volunteers, and our partner organizations for their tremendous help passing this landmark ordinance. When we work together, we all win!