Board says no to gay adoption lobbying request: Family Law Section sought to advocate for gay foster parents.

The debate was the same but shorter and the vote apparently was closer, but with the same results on the Family Law Section's request to lobby for a law change that would allow some homosexual foster parents to adopt.

The Bar Board of Governors discussed the section's request at its April 8 meeting in Tallahassee, before rejecting it on a voice vote. But that came after some board members said they thought its second, narrower proposal should be approved.

The board in December had turned down the section when it asked to lobby for a repeal of the state law that bans gays from adopting. That came by a 31-13 vote. Board members said then while they agreed the law was bad, Bar policies required the rejection because the position caused deep philosophical and emotional divisions among a significant portion of the Bar's membership.

The section's revised proposal called for allowing homosexual couples who are already state-approved foster parents to adopt children who had been under their care for at least 36 months, if a bond had been formed and a judge found it in the best interest of the child. In those cases, under the section's requested position, the state ban would not apply.

The rejection on that came on a voice vote. Although there was no hand count, the margin appeared closer than the December result.

"This is much narrower; this is only for homosexual foster parents," said board member Nancy Gregoire. "They already have these ... children [as foster parents]. Why do these homosexuals have these children? They were given birth by heterosexual parents, and they were abused and abandoned by heterosexual parents."

She noted that late board member Henry Latimer had not planned to debate the issue at the December meeting but wound up advocating the section's position. She said she asked him why after the meeting, and "he said at the last minute he decided discrimination is discrimination in any form and it's wrong."

Board member Ross Goodman argued the divisive standard in Bar rules does not apply because other rules prohibit lawyers from...