Florida lawmakers are close to passing bills which would spare the life of Terri Schiavo. Terri is a 41-year-old woman who, though brain-damaged, is responsive and requires only a feeding tube for nourishment. The removal of the feeding tube would cause her to starve and dehydrate.

On the state level, elected representatives in Florida are being called upon to support H.B. 701 and S.B. 804, which are scheduled for hearings in their final committees today and may potentially come up for a vote on the floors of both chambers by Thursday. Yesterday, the House and Senate reached a deal on the proposed bill. The legislation would prohibit a guardian from allowing a person in a "persistent vegetative state" to die by withholding food and water, unless that person had written instructions asking not to be kept alive with artificial feedings. In the absence of written instructions, a guardian could withhold food and water, but only if there was "clear and convincing evidence" that the incapacitated person clearly expressed his or her wishes. Rep. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, said that "clear and convincing" is a tough standard. A casual conversation "sitting around the dinner table, that's not going to rise to the level that will permit the denial of sustenance and hydration," Simmons said, as reported in The Orlando Sentinel.

Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, stated: "I am pleased that the Florida legislature is acting with deliberate speed. Terry Schiavo is only a few days away from being starved and dehydrated. Death by dehydration and starvation is slow, painful, and inhumane. No parent should be forced to stand by helplessly and watch their child die of starvation"

The number for the Florida legislature is (800) 342-1827 and for Gov. Jeb Bush is (850) 488-4441.

San Francisco Same-Sex Marriage Ruling Ignites Marriage Amendment Movement

Yesterday's ruling by San Francisco Judge Richard Kramer striking down California's marriage laws has ignited efforts to amend the constitutions of the federal and state governments to preserve traditional marriage. Our client, Randy Thomasson, Executive Director of Campaign for California Families, announced yesterday that efforts to amend the California Constitution will move forward. Mr. Thomasson and CCF were instrumental in passing a statewide legislative initiative in 2000, known as Prop 22. In the meantime, we will return to court on this case on March 30, and sometime thereafter we will appeal this ruling.

Today, Liberty Counsel appears in more than 1,000 news print articles. Today, Mat Staver has been a guest on a number of national radio programs, including Joe Scarborough of MSNBC and NPR.

End Judicial Filibusters

Liberty Counsel is joining with numerous other pro-family groups urging people to contact their Senators to end judicial filibusters. Your Senators must hear from you today. It is urgent that you call and request an end to the judicial filibuster so that each judicial nominee receives a fair "Yes or No" vote. Tell your friends and neighbors to call too. Flood the phone lines. If you can't get through to the Capitol, call one of their district offices in your state. They must know you want the obstruction and filibustering to end!

Only when we have judges who will rule with a gavel instead of a pen will majority rule be restored. And it starts with your call.