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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 January 2020

Tennessee governor says he will sign anti-LGBT adoption bill

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI and needed to protect against
JONATHAN MATTISE potential lawsuits hostile to
Associated Press the group's religious beliefs.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — However, critics counter
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee an- that the proposals attack
nounced Tuesday that he'll LGBT rights and limit the
sign into law a measure number of qualified fami-
that would assure contin- lies seeking t o adopt or fos-
ued taxpayer funding of ter needy children.
faith-based foster care and "This bill is solely about free-
adoption agencies even if dom," said Sen. Paul Rose,
they exclude LGBT families the Republican sponsor of
and others based on reli- the bill.
gious beliefs. Rose conceded he thought
The GOP-controlled Sen- the bill wasn't necessary,
ate gave the bill final pas- pointing out that President
sage on the first day of the Donald Trump's administra-
2020 legislative session after tion is currently proposing
it was initially approved by a rule that would impose
the House last April. The bill the same protections. Yet
was sent to the Republican he said he advanced the
governor amid warnings by bill this year because there
critics of possible negative was no guarantee Trump Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, attends a House session on the first day of the 2020 legislative
consequences for Tennes- would be reelected later session Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Casada, the former House Speaker, resigned
see's reputation. this year. the position in August 2019.
Lee's communication direc- Trump's proposal would re- Associated Press
tor, Chris Walker, confirmed scind an Obama-era rule c hildren who ... will now be For example, denied ap- opening day though an
in a statement Tuesday that prevented foster care in a foster setting for a lon- plicants couldn't sue an unrelated political devel-
evening that the governor agencies from receiving ger time." agency for damages if opment unfolded.
would sign the bill. Earlier, federal funds if they dis- In 2011, Illinois declined to the religious belief or moral Republican Rep. David Byrd
before the Senate vote, criminated against families renew its state contract conviction was cited as a confirmed he doesn't plan
Lee declined to weigh in based on sexual orienta- with Catholic Charities reason. to seek reelection this year.
after saying he had not tion and gender identity. adoption services due to The legislation sparked op- Byrd had been accused
read the two-page bill. Ultimately, 20 Republicans its policy of refusing child position from civil rights and of sexual misconduct by
"We are off to a fine start this approved the bill while five placement to same-sex foster advocates. three women when he was
session," state Sen. Steve other Republican members couples. Catholic Charities "The foster care system is at their high school basketball
Dickerson joked while de- simply voted "present" even has also stopped handling a critical juncture where it coach and a teacher de-
bating against the bill ear- after some questioned the adoptions in Washington is required by new federal cades ago, before being
lier as the lone Republican bill's benefits. D.C., Massachusetts and law to reduce the number elected. He was reelected
opposed. Dickerson was the only Re- San Francisco over con- of children placed in harm- in 2018 despite the accusa-
A handful of states to date publican to join the Sen- cerns they would be re- ful group homes and to ex- tions.
have enacted similar leg- ate's five Democrats in quired to act against their pand family home options Byrd said he told GOP
islation i ncluding Kansas, opposition. He said the bill religious beliefs. for children who cannot colleagues in an August
Oklahoma, Texas, Ala- would allow certain groups If the proposal bec omes safely return to their fam- closed door gathering that
bama, South Dakota, North to limit the families where law as the governor has ily of origin," said Currey he wouldn't run again, as
Dakota, Virginia, Mississippi children could be sent, signaled, current adop- Cook, counsel and director The Tennessean had re-
and Michigan. But Michi- adding "I expect that wait- tion practices in Tennessee of Lambda Legal. "Children ported.
gan agreed in settling a ing list to increase some- aren't expected to change. who need more homes, "I told my caucus I wouldn't
lawsuit to no longer turn what." Some faith-based agen- not fewer, should not suf- go run, and I hate to go
away LGBT couples or indi- He added, "This will have a cies already do not allow fer as part of efforts to chip back on my word, even
viduals because of religious direct fiscal impact on the gay couples to adopt. But away at equality for LGBTQ though I'm getting a lot of
objections. state, not to mention the this measure would provide families." pressure put on me in my
Nationally, supporters ar- humanitarian impact and legal protections to agen- Over in the House, law- district to run," Byrd told The
gue such measures are emotional impact on those cies that do. makers had less on tap on Associated Press.q