LGBTQ couples looking to start a family in Tennessee should probably look for a better state, as the Tennessee Senate has passed a bill allowing adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
According to The Tennessean, the bill sponsored by Republican Senator Paul Rose allows adoption agencies to refuse LGBTQ couples should it violate the agencies’ “written religious or moral convictions or policies.” Aside from that, adoption agencies who refuse to serve LGBTQ couples will also be protected from lawsuits if these objections are based on religion. The state is also prohibited from denying these agencies licenses or grant applications for public funds.
Blocking the bill in the Tennessee Senate was always going to be an uphill battle with only five Democrats. The bill passed 20-6, with five Republicans abstaining. Republican Senator Steve Dickerson from Nashville was the only Republican to vote with the Democrats against the bill.
Dickerson was especially worried about how the bill would impact Tennessee’s tourism sector, revealing that a number of conventions and events have been looking at Tennessee and asking about the status of the bill. The National Hockey League (NHL), the NCAA basketball playoffs, and the NFL draft were some of the events and businesses mentioned.
“I think we can probably kiss that goodbye,” Dickerson told The Tennessean.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee says he will sign the bill into law as soon as it reaches his office.
Currently, Tennessee has no anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation. There is also a law that prohibits the state from altering the sex on a birth certificate. Tennessee does have hate crime laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Same-sex marriages are allowed, thanks to the 2015 Supreme Court ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges.
Adam4Adam blog readers in Tennessee, what is the situation like on the ground? How does this affect you? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
I agree with the state, but only because we have so many foolish people who vote against their own good. Why vote for a party that has never been nice to us?
Indeed the Democrats have let us down.
The democrats have not let us down. All 5 of the democrats voted against the bill. That’s all we had to work with and 100% of them voted the way we would want them to vote.
what exactly are you trying to say? That you agree LGBTQ persons should not be allowed to adopt children? or that they should be allowed to adopt? it isn’t clear to me which side you support from your comment.
This is exactly what happens when states refuse to separate church from state
There are ample non-religious people who love or hate LGTBQ Individuals. And plenty of highly religious people who love or hate them. The notion that reigion is the driver that makes people anti-LGTBQ is far from true.
WTF does this have to do with the 1st Amendment (i.e. Congress shall neither establish or prohibit free exercise of religion)?! Tennessee isn’t telling adoption agencies WHAT to believe!! In fact — quite opposite — they are telling adoption agencies that they can follow their “written religious or moral convictions or policies.” While you cry “separation of church and state”, what you really want is to force adoption agencies to abandon their own beliefs just so we can cling to ours, which — ironically — would actually violate the provision for separation of church and state. If you owned a… Read more »
The inequity of “separate but equal” was addressed by Thurgood Marshall and the SCOTUS in 1954. Imposing your religious standards on others is a violation of Title 8 and Title 10. Your sense of the law is pretty distorted. Best to educate yourself. Imposing sanctions like this is not unlike how Hobby Lobby drove to prevent funding of birth control. They have no right to impose their constraints on others, but currently, that thinking prevails. This selective, non-secular treatment has meant that their employees are discriminated against for THEIR beliefs. Where does is stop? Where it should: separating church and… Read more »
“The state is also prohibited from denying these agencies licenses or grant applications for public funds.” If you are accepting public funds you should not be allowed to discriminate. If you are open for business you shouldn’t be allowed to discriminate.
“If you are open for business you shouldn’t be allowed to discriminate”, does that include gay business owners? When the “Wedding Cake” bullshit was blown out of proportion, a lesbian florist refused to cater the flowers for a “straight” wedding. Was that right, or did she have the right “to refuse service”? Can’t have it both ways.
The adoption agencies should be free to believe whatever they want. But, if they accept taxpayer funds (LGBTQ individuals are taxpayers!), they need to act in a non-discriminatory manner.
You can’t be more wrong, I know agnostics and atheists the despise gay and bisexuals. Your closed mind is as bad as those you condemn.
“LGBTQ couples looking to start a family in Tennessee should probably look for a better state..” The full truth is LGTBQ individuals will have no issues with adoption in the State. LGTBQ-friendly adoption agencies are available in Tennessee. The law swings the pendulum to a balanced position. It does not stop LGTBQ adoptions. It protects diversity by allowing those with religious, ethical, or moral beliefs (positions of diversity and well protected within the US) to provide adoptions to those with similar beliefs. LGTBQ militants demand that their diversity be protected, but then demand the squelching of diversity they disagree with.… Read more »
If an agency wants to discriminate, it shouldn’t be given public funding. How do you think that people would react if a taxpayer-funded agency refused to allow blacks to adopt, or Christians?
Darned Republicans Leave it to the Trump administration But what can you expect from a bunch of Bible banger’s.
More of the liberal in “tolerance”? You are part of the problem, claiming the moral high ground all the while being as hate filled as those you whine about. Pathetic
I think the religious groups are helping to kill LGBTQ and more then with help from White House then Jesus Christ of latter day saints and Jehovah witness and Evangelical churches are involved and helping to make sure then help spread rape and human trafficking and domestic violence and more then out right help kill homosexuals and children and grandchildren and blacks and Hispanics and more then to freedom of religion and politics and the powers and more the Drs and more are now looking at finding ways to protect others and from police department and killing others are are… Read more »
What an asinine hate filled comment, you are the problem.
this is what happens when the people sit back and do nothing but watch the elite control their lives
What the blog failed to mention is that the law applies to private adoption agencies not government agencies.
Dishonest headline that is a complete clickbait lie just designed to further divide and stoke fear and hatred on both sides. I wouldn’t expect less on this site (or most others) however. The comments show people would do best to educate themselves on all topics and not rely on random blog blurbs or news sound bites.
Just look ate the hate posted in these comments.
Two Steps forward…one step back…honestly in the South I think they would bring “slavery’ back if they could….what does one do with these “Non progressive States in the union????
What an asinine UNEDUCATED comment.
Take a look at this web site…can you imagine having a young child see this?
All of these religious freedom type bills need to require the establishment seeking to discriminate based on their religious beliefs to prove how strong their adherence to their religion really is. You shouldn’t be able to claim you’re so righteous that you can discriminate against me because I am gay but you’re practicing adultery and fornication etc. They also need to define religion. Somebody can do anything they want to do, whether it makes since or not, and call it they’re religious belief. The klan burns crosses because it has some sort of religious meaning to them. This sets a… Read more »
“The klan burns crosses because it has some sort of religious meaning to them” Do you remotely have an education? The “burning cross” has it’s origins in the Celtic clans, it was a means of calling all clam members to the home of the Clan Chief. It’s the same with the Klan, and seriously that hate group according to the FBI is below ten thousand in the US. The rest of the actual news article, which for some reason wasn’t covered in this “blog” was the law focuses on private adoption agencies, now why would have been left out? To… Read more »
This will hit SCOTUS and SCOTUS will strike it down.
Jim Marcus…your ONE sick individual!!!