Faith-Based Adoption Agencies Can Refuse Same-Sex Couples, According to New Georgia Senate Bill

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Feb 27, 2018

Faith-Based Adoption Agencies Can Refuse Same-Sex Couples, According to New Georgia Senate Bill

Faith-based adoption agencies in Georgia will now be allowed to decline to place children in families with same-sex couples.

According to WCTV, the Georgia Senate passed the bill granting this freedom to faith-based adoption agencies on Friday in a 35 to 19 vote.

There was contentious debate regarding the bill, especially since the faith-based adoption agencies in question receive taxpayer funding.

"This proposition that we should ... protect agencies that are gonna deny loving families the opportunity to adopt a child from our foster care system is just backward on its face," stated Georgia Sen. Nan Orrock, an Atlanta Democrat.

Proponents of the bill argued, however, that faith-based adoption agencies should not be discriminated against due to their religious convictions.

"Just because you are a faith-based organization, doesn't mean you have to check your faith at the door and cannot participate in government programs," stated Georgia Sen. William Ligon, a Brunswick Republican who sponsored the bill.

In addition to declining to place children with same-sex couples, the bill would grant religious freedom to faith-based adoption agencies that decline to place children with other couples whose lifestyles are at odds with the agency’s values, such as unwed couples, single parents, and transgender couples.


 

Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstockphotos

Publication date: February 27, 2018



Faith-Based Adoption Agencies Can Refuse Same-Sex Couples, According to New Georgia Senate Bill