What Is The Language, Meaning and Purpose of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment?
The Text of Florida Marriage Protection Amendment:
“In as much as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”
I. The Purpose of the Amendment.
A. The Amendment defines and preserves marriage as the union of one man and one woman as
husband and wife.
B. The Amendment prohibits any other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial
equivalent thereof from being valid or recognized as marriage.
II. The Amendment, Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions.
A. The Amendment does not prohibit the state or local government from passing laws which confer
rights to unmarried persons as long as the laws are not designed to treat unmarried relationships
as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof.
B. The Amendment does not affect benefits offered or contracted in the private sector.
C. The Amendment prohibits any other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial
equivalent thereof from being valid or recognized as marriage.