Today, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer signed into law Kansas SB 284, a license-to-discriminate bill that allows taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies to reject foster or adoptive parents based upon the agency's religious beliefs.
Today, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed SB 1140, a license-to-discriminate bill that would allow taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies to reject foster or adoptive parents based upon the agency’s religious beliefs.
The governors of Oklahoma and Kansas must veto these damaging child welfare bills, not compete to see who will become the first in 2018 to sign discrimination into law and withhold loving homes from vulnerable children.
Pennsylvania lawmakers this week are considering a discriminatory and harmful amendment to the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization legislation that would deny lower-income Pennsylvania transgender youth access to any transition-related health care services, including counseling.
HB 3859 prohibits the state from punishing foster care and adoption agencies if they discriminate against queer young people or prospective parents who are LGBTQ or of differing faiths, even if the agency receives government funding.
"Those agencies that won't commit to putting children's needs first, and to nondiscrimination as a core promise to children and families, must not be allowed to operate as agents of the government."
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval today signed Assembly Bill 99, a bill that requires child welfare and juvenile justice agencies in Nevada to treat transgender children in their care in accordance with their gender identity.
2015 was a historic year in the fight for equality for LGBT people and those living with HIV, and Lambda Legal led the fight in courts and communities across the country. Here are some of the highlights of Lambda Legal’s work this year: