RICHMOND, Va. — Lawmakers from both houses of Virginia’s legislature passed a measure Friday that codifies into law regulations adopted by the state’s Board of Social Services this past December, which allows private adoption agencies to deny placements based on factors including gender, age, religion disability, sexual orientation and family status.
In a party line vote, the Republican majority House of Delegates voted 71-28 to pass the legislation, while a State Senate committee endorsed its version of the Republican-backed measure also on a 8-7 party-line vote.
Republican Governor Bob McDonnell is expected to sign the measure into law as soon as it crosses his desk.
Sponsors and supporters are claiming that the law will protect religious freedom. Critics charge that the state’s government, which contracts with dozens of private, state-licensed child placement agencies, in the commonwealth, is now in a position to sanction discrimination.
Opponents also argued that since the state is allowing this exemption then state funding should be eliminated.
The new rules run headlong into voter opinion — fifty-five percent of Virginia adults believe it should be legal for gay parents to adopt.
Nearly six thousand Virginia children live in foster homes.
Filed under: Virginia
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WHAT
BAD
thats so stupid..
You’ve got to be kidding..
Are you serious?
this is seriously sad.
What a bunch of horse $h!t
This will be overturned by those who understand the constitution.
why are people liking this???
This is worse than just discriminating against gays. This gives them the power to discriminate based off of essentially whatever they feel like.
omg
This is seriously discrimination in one of it’s worst forms. There are currently over 1800 children in VA foster care waiting to be adopted. All that does is stress an already stressed system. The poor children who want forever homes are the ones being hurt the worst.
Glad I don’t live there anymore.
How horrible there are so many children that need good homes, I’m glad I don’t live in VA
Well I know where I am not welcomed. Won’t be spending money there…
I personally think it’s as it should be; if a private entity wishes to deny service, it should be allowed to. Let the market punish them. :3
What black magic fuckery is this?
It’s horrible to think that children are denied the right to parents that will actually support them. Isn’t the straight people who put them there in the first place?
Because being abused and living on the streets is better for the child than being brought up by homosexua
Pure Hate.
From so called
Christians.
No matter how much you might dislike me as a gay person, you don’t have any right to deny children a good home, that’s just criminal.
I only wish some gay dad’s or mom’s adopted me from the Catholic Orpanage I was raised in, I might be normal now and not still be suffering from all the shit I went through!
Bad bad were is the federal government? They should be stopping this. This is 100 percent bullshit
As a child put into a “good christian” home and suffered years of physical and emotional abuse i would have rathered a good loving home….love has no gender…family has no restrictions when there is safety and care…the family they placed me with were a male minister and his female wife…..i would have rathered a loving, safe, and supportive home…love has no gender. Place a child in a safe environment, an environment that promotes a healthy character, an environment that promotes a productive American…..there are so many of these homes out there……don’t limit goodness to a political prejudice, shortness of judgement. Allow all people who care, to care, and make this world a stronger place with love.
bullshit is an understatement…
It’s funny how they call “typical” families nuclear, isn’t that irony?
Bullshit, Virginia, BULLSHIT. -_-
What a shame we exclude some wonderful, hopeful parents based on sexual preference. Two of my favorite families in the world have gay parents with a child They are warm and loving people, compassionate and amazing parents. We don’t ask heteros what they do in the privacy of their own bedroom in order for them to adopt a child, it’s considered private.
WTF This is bullshit. Yeah seriously they can allow these kids to be put with abusers and horrible people but not loving parents who would take care of them, just because of their gender? Horrible discrimination on the highest level.
Ugh..someone please think of the children! Lol..but serious man WTF!
One step forward, two steps back…When will the HATE stop !!
Ridiculous
You’re fucking kidding, right?
I need to get the Fuck out of this ignorant state.
ok so what king of bullshit is that ,,,,,, it should not matter who you have sexual relations with as long as you can provide the proper environment filled with love and all the Really Important things
“Virginal is for haters! ” should be our new MOTO!
don’t forget that LGBT isn’t the only one they have granted the right to discriminate against…. also religion, race, handicap, gender, “family status” (no single parent adoptions), and age…. I guess I’m REALLY off their desirable list as a “Two-Spirited Native American who practices my tribe’s N/A traditional faith, permanently disabled, and is well over 40 y/o)
Amazing, millions of children needing homes, and our elected officials worry about who gives them,,,,,,they really have no idea of what is important…..bigotry will never die….idiots!!!
Of course they do because Virginia is one of the most backwards states in the country, except for Northern VA.
……uhm……gay people ore the ones that adopt the most. Having gay parents doesnt make a person gay. My parents are straight and I turned out to be a fag. Ignorant assumption and predjudice vs. science….gotta love it
More Morons without souls. They are more worried about where their penis goes than freedom.
My partner of over 17 years and I have wanted to adopt forever. Some states make it very difficult. What kills me is the fact that all these children need, want and deserve a loving home. And why should gays be discriminated against when it comes to this. When I was only 18 I moved in with my cousin to help her out. I took care of 5 boys, ages 6-15. Guess what…they’re fine, didn’t turn out gay, have grown up, got married and have kids of their own now. And every time I see them they thank me for everything I’ve done for them.
The children waiting for adoption don’t “keep”. Every day that goes by for them is an eternity. Every day that heartless, cruel adults leave them in limbo puts them closer to having “grown up in foster care” without ever having a family. There are not enough heterosexuals to adopt them. It’s that simple. The State of Virginia condemns it’s orphans out of spite, bigotry and heartlessness.
What an ASSSSS backwards state!!!!