Bill Would Let Adoption Agencies Deny Placements Based On Religious Beliefs
A bill a Georgia state senator has introduced would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place children in homes whose religious beliefs or lifestyles conflict with those of the agencies.
John Amis / Associated Press
A Georgia state senator has introduced legislation that he says will protect faith-based adoption agencies.
The bill would allow agencies to refuse to place children in homes whose religious beliefs or lifestyles conflict with those of the agencies.
Republican Sen. Marty Harbin said the bill is about protecting the religious views of the agencies and the birth mother.
“I’ve had a couple friends where their daughters gave up children for adoption, and it was very important to them where they placed that child because that child is very precious to them,” Harbin said.
But opponents like Jeff Graham from Georgia Equality said the legislation would allow discrimination based things like sexual orientation, gender identity, and even differing religious views.
“What kids are looking for are parents that will love them, support them and give them a safe and happy home,” Graham said. “That should be the standard that all adoption agencies in Georgia use.”
Graham also discounted the arguments that those rejected by one adoption agency could just try with another agency.
“They need to be able to do this near where they live. Where the family is, where their family will be raised and where the kids are,” Graham said. “This is why it is a false argument to say ‘folks can still go some place.’ That place may be hours away, so it’s just not realistic.”
Sen. Harbin wouldn’t estimate the bill’s chances of passing and becoming law.
“It’s like every bill we bring down here, you take a risk, you take a chance, and you get a chance to debate and look at the options,” he said.
Similar legislation stalled in the Georgia legislature in 2018.
However, the Governor of Tennessee recently signed into law a measure that gave adoption agencies the option of denying child placements on moral grounds. Harbin said he spoke with a lawmaker there before drafting his bill.
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