Child-placing agency; shall not be required to participate in placement of child for foster care. (HB189)
Introduced By
Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) with support from 16 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:
Progress
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Introduced |
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Passed Committee |
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Passed House |
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Passed Senate |
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Signed by Governor |
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Became Law |
Description
Child-placing agency; conscience clause. Provides that no private child-placing agency shall be required to consider or consent to any placement of a child for foster care or adoption if such placement would conflict with the religious tenets of the agency's sponsor or any organization or institution with which the agency is associated or affiliated. The bill also provides that such refusal shall not form the basis of any claim for damages for such refusal. View Full Text »
Outcome
Bill Has Passed
History
- 01/09/2012 Committee
- 01/09/2012 Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12 12101768D
- 01/09/2012 Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
- 01/13/2012 Impact statement from DPB (HB189)
- 01/16/2012 Assigned HWI sub: #3
- 01/26/2012 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 1-N)
- 01/31/2012 Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with substitute (16-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
- 01/31/2012 Committee substitute printed 12104360D-H1
- 02/01/2012 Read first time
- 02/01/2012 Impact statement from DPB (HB189H1)
- 02/02/2012 Read second time
- 02/02/2012 Committee substitute agreed to 12104360D-H1
- 02/02/2012 Amendment by Delegate Englin rejected
- 02/02/2012 Amendments by Delegate Englin rejected
- 02/02/2012 Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB189H1
- 02/03/2012 Read third time and passed House (71-Y 28-N)
- 02/03/2012 VOTE: PASSAGE (71-Y 28-N) (see vote tally)
- 02/06/2012 Constitutional reading dispensed
- 02/06/2012 Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
- 02/17/2012 Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (8-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
- 02/20/2012 Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
- 02/21/2012 Read third time
- 02/21/2012 Passed Senate (22-Y 18-N) (see vote tally)
- 02/24/2012 Enrolled
- 02/24/2012 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB189ER)
- 02/24/2012 Signed by Speaker
- 02/27/2012 Signed by President
- 02/28/2012 Impact statement from DPB (HB189ER)
- 04/09/2012 G Approved by Governor-Chapter 690 (effective 7/1/12)
- 04/09/2012 G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0690)
Comments
Equality Virginia strongly opposes this bill that seeks statutory authority for state-licensed and state-funded faith-based child-placing agencies to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in providing foster care and adoption services.
the child-placing agencies licensed to facilitate adoptions and foster care are functioning as agencies of the state. As such, when placing children, they are not engaged in private acts (as would be the case with respect to employment decisions). Just as the state cannot deny any citizen the equal protection of the laws, neither can the agents of the state -- in this case, the licensed child placing agencies -- even if they are run by faith-based organizations.
This language appears to authorize state protection for such actions as the following:
- prohibiting placement of children because of White supremacist theologies
- prohibiting placement of children because of Black supremacist theologies
- prohibiting placement of children because of eugenical beliefs embedded in theologies (e.g. particular disabilities are signs of physical, mental and spiritual inferiority)
etc
Southern Poverty Law Center lists a horde of aggressively prejudiced and/or violent organizations (racist, anti-semitic, anti-muslim, sexist/heterosexist, etc) active in Virginia that could come under protection of this 'law' (" the agency's sponsor or any organization or institution with which the agency is associated or affiliated") :
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map#s=VA
American Immigration Control Foundation/Americans for Immigration Control - anti immigrant, in Monterey
American Renaissance White Nationalist, in Arlington
American Renaissance/New Century Foundation - White Nationalist, in Oakton
Aryan Nations 88 - Neo-Nazi, statewide
Blood and Honour America Division - Racist Skinhead, statewide
British National Party Overseas Unit - White Nationalist, in Berryville
Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide
Confederate Hammerskins - Racist Skinhead, in Petersburg
Council of Conservative Citizens - White Nationalist, statewide
Crew 38 - Racist Skinhead, statewide
European-American Unity and Rights Organization, White Nationalist, in Richmond
Heritage and Destiny - White Nationalist, in Falls Church
In the Spirit of Chartres Committee - Radical Traditional Catholicism, in Suffolk
Knight Riders Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in Abingdon
Knights of the Southern Cross Soldiers of the Ku Klux Klan, in Powhatan
League of the South - Neo-Confederate, in Marion
Nation of Islam- Black Separatist, in Richmond
National Black Foot Soldier Network - Black Separatist in Virginia Beach
Old Glory Skinheads - Racist Skinhead, statewide
The Creativity Alliance - Neo-Nazi, statewide
The Creativity Movement- Neo-Nazi, in Wise
The Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation- White Nationalist, in Vienna
Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide
United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide
United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in Gordonsville
VDARE Foundation- White Nationalist, in Warrenton
Virgil White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide
Virginia Publishing Company - Christian Identity, in Lynchburg
Volksfront-Racist Skinhead, in Norfolk
Mothers and Others Virginia strongly opposes this bill that seeks statutory authority for state-licensed and state-funded faith-based child-placing agencies to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in providing foster care and adoption services. Faith-based agencies are under contract with the State of Virginia and receive tax payer funds.
The state should not license as an agent of the state's business any organization that cannot faithfully fulfill the obligations of the state to citizens. If private agencies want to be involved, they should observe and honor the same freedoms from prejudice and discrimination that are required of state agencies. This exception is wrong and bad for children. Any agency that would benefit from this provision should be out of business.