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Virginia: New Rules Allow Agencies to Discriminate

New rules enacted for Virginia adoption agencies allow them to discriminate against same-sex families.

On the opposite side of the fence, Illinois just enacted rules banning discrimination against same-sex couples.

Illinois: Adoptees Can Access Original Birth Certificates

Adults who were born in Illinois and adopted as children can obtain a copy of their sealed birth certificate starting November 15.  See this article.

Illinois: Catholic Charity Cannot Discriminate With State Funding

The State of Illinois recently enacted a civil union bill, effective in June 2011, that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.  Catholic Charities, recipient of over four decades of funding from the State of Illinois to provide foster care and adoption services, tried to continue receiving state funds without complying with state law.

Catholic Charities alleged that the Religious Freedom Protection act and the Civil Unions Act permitted Catholic Charities to refuse to work with openly gay families and instead refer them elsewhere.  The State of Illinois disagreed and cancelled their contract causing the transfer of 2000 children to agencies In Illinois that do not discriminate.

Catholic Charities sued and argued that the act provided an exemption.  The state defended the act and argued that the exemption narrowly applies to religious clergy who do not want to officiate civil unions.

The Court focused on the property rights issues and did not rule on the religious aspects of the case.  In the ruling, the Judge held that the four decade contract between the state and Catholic Charities did not create a property right entitling Catholic Charities to automatic contract renewal.   Thus, the contract could be cancelled.

 

Illinois: Judge Temporarily Blocks State From Defunding Catholic Charities

A judge in Illinois has temporarily blocked the state from removing catholic charities from the list of approved agencies for funding because of their stance on rejecting gay and lesbian couples as adoptive parents.

Religious Organizations Seek Right To Refuse GLBT Families

Religious adoption agencies are attempting to carve out a right to refuse gay and lesbian (GLBT) families in light of proposed and new legislation recently enacted in several states either establishing gay marriage and/or establishing adoption protections for gay and lesbian couples.

The right to refuse effort is driven by the religious adoption agencies because they fear that they will lose state funding for adoptions should they not recognize and not work with GLBT families.  In some cases, these religious organizations thrive or significantly rely upon the state funding to operate.

An important question not mentioned is why should a religious agency be permitted to discriminate against GLBT families and receive state funding while a religious hospital cannot discriminate?  

The right to refuse could have unintended negative consequences.

Illinois: Catholic Charities Files Lawsuit To Prevent Servicing Non-Married Couples

Catholic Charities filed a lawsuit seeking a declaration that they can continue to provide services to the State of Illinois and not be bound by a new civil union law that would require them to work with same-sex couples.

Illinois: Rockford Catholic Charities Closes State Funded Adoption Program Displacing Children and Firing Employees to Avoid Same-Sex Adoption

Rockford Catholic Charities will fire employees and displace children after it failed to lobby passage of SB 1993 and SB 1123 that would have allowed religious adoption organizations to discriminate based on religious beliefs.  

The displaced children and firings are believed to have resulted from Illinois new civil union bill that passed last year and will become effective in June.  While the bill did not specify adoption rights, the failed lobbying of the aforementioned bills demonstrates that Catholic Charities believes that the civil union bill effectively ends their ability to refuse to provide services to gay families.

Illinois: Catholic Charities opposes new legislation requiring recognition of civil unions

Illinois has enacted civil union legislation mandating that any state adoption agency that receives state funding cannot turn away same-sex couples seeking to adopt.

Catholic Charities in Illinois processes over 3,000 adoptions per year.  This equates to 20% of all state adoptions and $30 million in funding from the state to Catholic Charities for such adoptions.

The new civil union law goes into effect on June 1.  Catholic Charities is seeking an amendment to the civil union law allowing them to turn away same-sex couples.

 

Illinois: Bill to allow religious adoption agencies to deny families based on religion rejected.

A bill that would have the potential to deny gay adoption to families utilizing religious adoption agencies was rejected in committee.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/23/antigay-adoption-bill-str_n_839462.html

 

UPDATE APRIL 13, 2011:  BILL AGAIN FAILS COMMITTEE

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/antigay-adoption-bill-sho_n_848685.html