NOM BLOG

Illinois Senate Refuses to Protect Religious Adoption Agencies

 

Last week the IL Senate Executive Committee voted down a bill (7-6) that would have allowed religious organizations in that state to refuse adoptions or foster care with same sex couples joined by civil unions.

We've been tracking the efforts to force religious-based adoption centers in IL to violate their conscience after the passage of IL's SSU bill. Most recently the Chicago Tribune reported:

The legislative dispute arises as Illinois officials are investigating whether religious agencies that receive public money to license foster care and adoptive parents are breaking anti-discrimination laws if they turn away potential parents who are openly gay.

If they are found in violation, Lutheran Child and Family Services, Catholic Charities in five regions outside Chicago, and the Evangelical Child and Family Agency will have to license openly gay foster parents or lose millions of state dollars, potentially disrupting thousands of foster children in their care.

Here is State Sen. David Koehler explaining what his bill ("The Religious Freedom Protection Act") would do:

Hat tip: Illinois Review

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