Posted on 04/09/2015 7:01:38 AM PDT by Iron Munro
Floridas nearly 40-year-old ban on gay adoption - which hasnt been enforced for the past five years - is about to be tossed out by the states Republican-controlled Legislature.
But its not going without a fierce debate, including whether the state should adopt a separate law that would let private agencies use religious or moral grounds to turn away gay couples seeking to adopt children.
Some Republicans say this conscience law is needed to ensure that faith-based organizations handling adoptions will keep offering their services, but other legislators have compared the measure to Indianas religious objections law and said it would encourage discrimination against gay couples.
Both the House and Senate spent hours on Wednesday debating the states existing ban - and what will happen if it is permanently removed from law.
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, defended the decision to jettison the gay adoption ban and called it a relic of another time that is now meaningless since an appeals court declared the law unconstitutional in 2010.
We dont need to turn the social clock in this state back to 1977, said Gaetz, who is sponsoring the adoption bill.
Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, tried unsuccessfully to persuade other senators to keep the ban on the books. Stargel argued that getting rid of the ban could lead faith-based organizations to leave the state.
Im not going to let something leave this chamber and go to the governor that I think is the wrong policy for the state of Florida, said Stargel.
The Florida Senate on Wednesday gave tentative approval to the bill (HB 7013) that eliminates the ban.
But after an outcry from conservative groups over the demise of the ban, House Republicans have agreed to push forward a separate bill that would shield religious organizations
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
DEFIANCE
They also want these children for the tax exemptions.
That would be a disappointing reason for wanting an adopted child, but I suspect the real reason for these fake couples wanting to look after young boys is often far worse than mere financial incentives. The tax exemption is in most cases far less than the cost of raising a child.
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