By The Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gay rights advocates in Oklahoma are launching a campaign to stop a bill they say will codify the ability of religious-based adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples seeking to adopt.
Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director Troy Stevenson said Monday the bill is unnecessary and would deny children the right to a loving family.
Senate Bill 1140 is being pushed by faith-based groups including the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. It would protect child-placing agencies that block adoptive parents who do not meet the agency’s religious or moral standards.
The religious groups say such a law is necessary to protect the religious liberty of faith-based adoption providers who may have policies to assist only heterosexual, married, Christian couples to adopt.