Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is making news about a new bill the state’s legislature recently passed that will now change the adoption process and the selection of families.
The new bill, also known as HB24, or the “Child Placing Agency Inclusion Act” allows adoption agencies as well as foster care organizations to follow faith-based policies and principles when selecting families for children. This gives these agencies the freedom to deny applications from certain individuals and couples for the adoption of a child due to religious beliefs and convictions, which is an unprecedented stance in the U.S.
The controversial bill unanimously passed in the Alabama House of Representatives, and is sending the clear message about state’s is religious beliefs.
The reason for the new bill is that some of the adoption agencies in the U.S. are reporting moral struggles when they have been forced to place children with families with beliefs and lifestyles against the agency’s religious stances.
Many adoption agencies have been made to cease operations because they stood their ground against such restrictions.
Although there are no actual reported instances where this has occurred in Alabama, this new bill insures it will not be an issue in the future with the 30 percent of faith-based adoption agencies in the state.
The new bill means these organizations now have the right to refuse to take an adoption application from anyone they feel is not complying with their morals, including those who are LGBTQ, unmarried couples, interfaith couples, single parents, or even married couples with a history of divorce.
Critics of the bill argue that it is a direct attack against LGBTQ couples due to the recent Supreme Court approval of gay marriage.
According to Alabama Republican Representative Rich Wingo, the sponsor of the bill, the act is not meant to discriminate against anyone.
“It is about protecting and not discriminating against faith-based agencies that, due to their religious beliefs, could have their right to choose where to place a child taken away from them,” he said.
Wingo went on to add many people are interpreting the new correctly.
“The bill is not to discriminate against anyone,” Wingo went on. “Nowhere in the bill does it say anything like that or lead you to believe that.”
According to Wingo, the new law does not apply to all child placing agencies in his home state. Most adoptions in the state of Alabama are controlled by secular agencies. Those organizations that are recipients of state or federal money to run them are not protected by the Child Placing Agency Inclusion Act.
Alabama’s Governor Ivey has received harsh criticism about the passing of HB24 in her state, but stands firm in her belief that it protects children in Alabama who are in need.
“Alabama is a place where we care for our neighbors, and lend a hand to those we don’t know,” she said. “This bill ensures that the neediest among us, children who need to feel the love and security of a family, are cared for.”
Alabama is not the only state to take a closer look at adoption laws. There has been similar legislation in the states of Michigan, Virginia, and the Dakotas that has passed.
Good for Alabama for supporting their faith-based adoption agencies. In our world today when everyone seems to be so enthralled with being politically correct as to not offend anyone, it is refreshing and encouraging to see Alabama and these other states making the bold statement to stand up for the religious beliefs of these organizations and for its children.
The state’s leaders deserve credit for caring enough to give these kids a fair chance for a happy and healthy family.
~ 1776 Christian
