AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas’s Republican-controlled Legislature has pushed closer to law a bill that allows publicly-funded foster care and adoption agencies to refuse to place children with non-Christian, unmarried or gay prospective parents because of religious objections.
The Senate gave preliminary approval Sunday night. A final vote, possibly Monday, would send it to Gov. Greg Abbott.
Supporters say the bill will keep faith-based organizations offering child placement services. They say LGBT couples will be able to find agencies without religious objections.
Many Texas adoption agencies admit they don’t work with adoptive parents who are single, gay or non-Christian, and the bill could keep them from being sued. Supporters say religious-based adoptions services will stop if they don’t get state protection.
Civil rights advocates call it funding discrimination with tax dollars.
