Adoption anti-discrimination bill set for introduction Tuesday

Rep. Pete Stark (photo courtesy wikimedia)

Legislation that would bar adoption discrimination against LGBT people is set for introduction in the U.S. House on Tuesday, according to the Family Equality Council.

Steve Majors, a spokesperson for Family Equality Council, confirmed in a statement to the Washington Blade that Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) would on Tuesday introduce the bill, which is known as the Every Child Deserves a Family Act.

“The bill will drop on Tuesday in the House,” Majors said. “[Stark] wanted to do so in conjunction with National Foster Care Awareness Month.”

As it was previously written, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act would restrict federal funds for states if they have laws or practices that discriminate in adoption on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The 111th Congress was the first time the legislation had been introduced in the House.

Many states have recently undertaken action to restrict adoption by LGBT people. In Arizona, for example, Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed legislation earlier this month that would give primary consideration for adoptive placement to opposite-sex married couples.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has said she’d introduce companion legislation in the Senate. Majors said he received confirmation from her office that she’ll introduce her version of the bill in June. Gillibrand’s introduction would mark the first time the legislation has been introduced in the upper chamber of Congress.