Today Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a deeply divisive and discriminatory bill allowing the use of religion to discriminate against LGBT Texans and others in adoption and foster care services. We just sent out the following statement.
TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK STATEMENT ON GOV. ABBOTT SIGNING DISCRIMINATORY ADOPTION/FOSTER CARE BILL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2017
Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller has the following statement on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing HB3859 today. This new law allows child welfare services providers that contract with the state to use religion as justification to discriminate against LGBT Texans and others, including people of minority faiths.
Miller’s statement:
“With his signature today, Gov. Abbott has joined the lieutenant governor and other lawmakers in taking Texas down a dark and cruel road. This law’s clear intent is to allow service providers that receive state tax dollars to misuse religion as a license to discriminate against LGBT families and children in the state’s child-welfare system. But it doesn’t stop there. Providers will be able to discriminate against people of other faiths and even block access to emergency contraception for teens who are victims of sexual assault. Hundreds of faith leaders from across Texas and the nation warned during the legislative session that bills like this one are about discrimination and hurting people, not protecting religious freedom. The fact that this bill is now law reinforces the reputation of Texas as a state run by politicians who are hostile to treating everyone equally under the law.”
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The Texas Freedom Network is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization of religious and community leaders who support religious freedom and individual liberties.
