Tag Archives: gay adoption

CALIFORNIA: AG Xavier Becerra Bans State-Funded Travel To Oklahoma Over Anti-LGBT Adoption Law

The Los Angeles Times reports: California will ban state-funded travel to Oklahoma because of a new law there that lets private agencies deny placement of adopted children with same-sex couples, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra announced Friday. Oklahoma is the ninth state to fall under California’s anti-discrimination travel ban, joining Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota and …

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KANSAS: GOP Gov Signs Anti-LGBT Adoption Bill

Via press release: Americans United for Separation of Church and State criticized Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer for signing Senate Bill 284 into law. The measure gives taxpayer-funded adoption and foster care agencies a right to use religion to deny children loving homes by discriminating against prospective parents. This is a troubling trend: Oklahoma enacted a law like this last week …

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Republicans Introduce Joint Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination By Adoption Agencies Nationwide

Hate group leader Tony Perkins is thrilled: If federal lawmakers want to show they care about children and families, there’s perhaps no better opportunity in the near term than by passing the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (CWPIA). Pending in the House as H.R. 1881 (introduced by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Penn.)), and in the Senate as S. 811 (introduced by …

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OKLAHOMA: Republicans Pass Bill Allowing Adoption Agencies To Turn Away Gays And Non-Christians

The Associated Press reports: A bill that opponents say would allow religious-based adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples, single people and non-Christians has cleared the Oklahoma Senate. Senate Bill 1140 passed 35-9 Tuesday and now heads to the House. The bill would cover child-placing agencies that block adoptive parents who do not meet the agencies’ religious or moral standards. …

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GEORGIA: Senate Approves Anti-LGBT Adoption Bill

The Georgia Voice reports: The Georgia Senate on Friday morning passed a bill that would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place children with same-sex couples based on their religious beliefs. The bill would also prohibit the Georgia Department of Human Services from taking “adverse action” against such agencies. The bill passed 35-19 and will now head to the House …

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Bill Donohue Rants Against Gay Adoption On Fox News

From Laura Ingraham’s crackpot site LifeZette: “It’s a matter of gay bullying and harassment,” said Catholic League President Bill Donohue on Wednesday night’s “The Ingraham Angle.” “They’re gay activists. They are trying to shove their secular values down our throats,” he added. “Secular militants [are] trying to shove their way in and basically neuter Catholic institutions.” The case involves a …

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GEORGIA: Senate Advances Anti-LGBT Adoption Bill

The Georgia Voice reports: The Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning passed a bill that would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place children with same-sex couples based on their religious beliefs. The bill would also prohibit the Georgia Department of Human Services from taking “adverse action” against such agencies. There were no public comments allowed, and the bill …

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KENTUCKY: Family Court Judge Found Guilty Of Misconduct After Refusing To Hear Gay Adoption Cases

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports: A Kentucky Family Court judge who refused to hear adoption cases involving gays and lesbians has been found guilty of misconduct by the state’s Judicial Conduct Commission. The commission issued a public reprimand Tuesday against W. Mitchell Nance, who announced his intention to resign earlier this year amid the ethics and misconduct inquiry. That resignation was …

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KENTUCKY: Judge Resigns After Ethics Complaint For Refusing To Hear Adoptions By Same-Sex Couples

Via press release from Lambda Legal: Yesterday Kentucky Family Court Judge W. Mitchell Nance notified Governor Matthew G. Bevin and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission of his resignation. In May, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Kentucky, Kentucky’s Fairness Campaign, and University of Louisville Law Professor Sam Marcosson filed a complaint against Judge Nance …

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MICHIGAN: ACLU Sues State Over Gay Adoption

USA Today reports: The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit Wednesday against the state of Michigan challenging a law that allows adoption agencies to spurn potential LGBT parents under the guise of religion. Religious exemption laws let people, churches and sometimes corporations cite religious beliefs as a reason not to enforce a law — such as declining to marry a …

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Israeli Social Services Minister Walks Back Opposition To Gay Adoption: Our Brief Was Incorrectly Worded

That was quick. Haaretz reports: Minister of Welfare and Social Services Haim Katz responded on Monday to the report, first reported in Haaretz Sunday, that Israel opposes the adoption of children by LGBT couples. Katz’s office issued a statement reading: “Unfortunately, the wording submitted to the High Court was wrong and it would have been better if it was never …

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ISRAEL: Government Opposes Adoption By Gay Couples

The Times Of Israel reports: The government announced on Sunday that there are no intentions to change the law and allow gay couples to adopt in Israel. In response to a High Court petition, the state said that it was opposed to allowing same-sex couples to adopt because it would place an “additional burden” on the child. “The professional opinion …

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BREAKING: German Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage In 393-226 Vote, Angela Merkel Votes Against

Deutsche Welle reports: The German parliament, or Bundestag, on Friday passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in a snap vote that made it onto the agenda before the summer break after a surprise shift by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The bill passed by 393 to 226, with four abstentions. Merkel herself voted against the bill, although it was comments from her …

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LIVE VIDEO: German Parliament Votes On Marriage

Germany’s Bundestag is about to vote on same-sex marriage. The first vote this morning will be to put the issue on the day’s agenda and the second vote is expected to follow within the hour. Watch below. Here’s how this came about so quickly: The way was paved for a vote on Monday night when Merkel said she wanted the …

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TEXAS: Governor Signs Anti-LGBT Adoption Bill

Reuters reports: The Texas governor signed a law on Thursday to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny …

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Seventh Circuit Court Of Appeals Judge Tells Married Gay Parents: “You Can’t Overcome Biology” [VIDEO]

The Indianapolis Star reports: In oral arguments Monday, a panel of three judges for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals examined whether Indiana discriminates by not recognizing two married women both as parents on their children’s birth certificates without having to adopt. Judge Diane S. Sykes drew distinctions between biological parentage and parental rights, and which of the two should …

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TEXAS: State House Votes 94-51 To Allow Religious Adoption Agencies To Turn Away Same-Sex Couples

The Texas Tribune reports: Faith-based adoption agencies in Texas would be able to reject prospective parents on religious grounds under a bill the state House preliminarily approved Tuesday over strong objections from Democratic lawmakers who said it would ultimately harm children and deny good people the right to care for them. Under House Bill 3859, which advanced on a 94-51 …

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ALABAMA: Gov. Kay Ivey Signs Bill Allowing Religious Adoption Agencies To Refuse Same-Sex Couples

AL.com reports: Gov. Kay Ivey today signed into law a bill allowing adoption agencies in Alabama to follow faith-based policies, such as not placing children with gay couples. “The elected legislature of this state overwhelmingly approved House Bill 24. Having served as President of the Senate for more than six years, I appreciate the work of the legislature, and I …

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KENTUCKY: Family Court Judge Refuses To Hear Any Adoption Cases From “Practicing Homosexuals”

USA Today reports: A family court judge who sits in Barren and Metcalfe counties has announced he will no longer hear adoption cases involving “homosexual parties” because he believes allowing a gay person to adopt could never be in the child’s best interest. Judge W. Mitchell Nance, who begins court each day by requiring everyone to stand for the Pledge …

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NEBRASKA: State Supreme Court Upholds Ruling That Struck Down Nation’s Last Ban On LGBT Adoption

The Omaha World Herald reports: The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision Friday ordering the state to pay nearly $174,000 in attorneys fees to those who successfully challenged a policy that denied the placement of foster children with same-sex couples. The high court rejected the appeal of Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who said the same-sex couples who …

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