After Texas passed a law in 2017 allowing foster care agencies to cite sincerely held religious beliefs to deny placements to gay couples, California banned state-funded travel to the Lone Star State. By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to strike down a 2016…
Citing Religious Refusal of Adoption Rule, California Bans State Travel to Texas
By Matthew Watkins, The Texas Tribune June 22, 2017 Saying that a new Texas law allowing child welfare providers to deny adoptions to parents based on “sincerely held religious beliefs” is discriminatory, California’s attorney general on Thursday banned state-funded travel to Texas. The attorney general’s office said in a news release that Texas’ House Bill…
Texas Governor Signs Bill Denying Adoption to Same-Sex Couples
Texas Governor Greg Abbot signed House Bill 3859 on June 15, allowing faith-based adoption agencies to deny placement of foster children with same-sex couples, Jews, Muslims and others based on “the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs.” The bill was authored by Rep. James Frank (R-Wichita Falls), vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee. According…
Texas Senate Advances Bill Allowing Adoption Agencies to Discriminate Against LGBT Parents
Originally published in the San Antonio Current In the midst of what the Governor has called a foster care “crisis” in Texas, state Senators voted to tentatively approve a bill to make it easier for religious adoption agencies to turn away prospective parents. Sen. Charles Perry’s House Bill 3859 would grant state foster care and…
Texas House Approves Bill Allowing Denial of Adoption by Same-Sex Couples
On Tuesday, May 9, the Texas House approved House Bill 3859, which would allow faith-based adoption agencies to deny placement of foster children with same-sex couples, Jews, Muslims and others based on “the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs.” The bill, dubbed the “Freedom to Serve Children Act,” passed by a vote of 94 to 51.…
Anti-LGBT Religious Refusal Bills Abound in Texas Legislature
Republicans in the 85th session of the Texas Legislature are pushing a number religious refusal bills that would codify anti-LGBT discrimination into state law. State lawmakers failed to pass nearly a dozen religious refusal bills in 2015 and in 2017 are again trying to introduce legislation which uses religion to deny equality to LGBT Texans.…
Texas House Bill Would Allow Denial of Same-Sex Couples as Foster Parents
On, Wednesday, March 29, the Texas House State Affairs Committee had a hearing on House Bill 3859 which would allow faith-based groups to deny placement of foster children with same-sex couples and others if it’s against the groups’ religious beliefs. The bill is authored by Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, vice chairman of the House…