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[GK86]

Some of that sweet, sweet, religious freedom.

Today, Governor Daugaard signed Senate Bill 149 into law, making South Dakota the first state in 2017 to pass anti-LGBT legislation. The bill will allow taxpayer funded agencies to refuse to provide any service, including adoption or foster care services, on the basis on the agency’s religious or moral convictions.

“We’re deeply disappointed by Governor Daugaard’s decision to green light Senate Bill 149. This discriminatory legislation takes South Dakota in the wrong direction, and sends the message that our leaders are more concerned with the desires of religious agencies than the rights of individuals and children in our state,” said Libby Skarin, Policy Director of the ACLU of South Dakota.

Added Skarin, “In the end, this bill was never about religious freedom. It has always been about allowing private organizations that discriminate to receive state contracts and taxpayer dollars to carry out their religions missions. We’re particularly concerned about how this bill could impact vulnerable kids in our foster care system that deserve to have their best interests considered above the desires of private agencies.“

 

[Tagyhag]

Using taxpayer funds for that should be illegal.

 

[Schlep]

Using taxpayer funds for that should be illegal.

It is and will be struck down.

 

[Volimar]

Using taxpayer funds for that should be illegal.

It will be once it goes through the courts. God they waste so much money pushing through this ass backwards shit to appease their base. Just think of how nice your commute would be iff all that was spent on infrastructure instead.

 

[bounchfx]

How is even attempting to pass this stuff allowed or accepted? the amount of money completely wasted on stuff that doesn't even or shouldn't even have a chance to be passed is maddening. I would argue he is unfit for his job (and to be fair... so are most politicians) if they try to pull this kind of shit

It will be once it goes through the courts. God they waste so much money pushing through this ass backwards shit to appease their base. Just think of how nice your commute would be iff all that was spent on infrastructure instead.

yep :\

 

[Beartruck]

Adoption is ALREADY a massive pain in the ass, do they really need to throw an added step into it?

 

[Byakuya769]

See you in court.

 

[GK86]

Adoption is ALREADY a massive pain in the ass, do they really need to throw an added step into it?

If it means protecting the religious freedom of real Americans? Yes, yes we do.

 

[Damaniel]

The ACLU is going to be BUSY for the next four years all across the country.

 

[Kitschkraft]

Republicans are pure evil.

So many kids without homes.

What a disaster.

 

[ExVicis]

Using taxpayer funds for that should be illegal.

I agree.

The only factor that should be used by adoption agencies is the ability to care for and provide for the child's well-being. Anything else is ridiculous to consider. Why should something that has absolutely no bearing on what quality of life the child will have even be up for consideration? Fucking stupid.

 

[WedgeX]

It is and will be struck down.

I don't believe it's been struck down in Michigan yet. And I think theirs passed in 2015.

 

[Frozenprince]

Foster care is already strained well past breaking in this country. We need to encourage more people to adopt and take in foster children not drive away good parents because they're queer or brown.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

South Dakota's government is going for some kind of record there or something.

 

[B-Dubs]

Using taxpayer funds for that should be illegal.

It is. It's blatantly illegal.

 

[cooljeanius]

I thought Republicans were supposed to be in favor of adoption as an alternative to abortion. Seems odd that they'd want to make it harder for people.

 

[Chmpocalypse]

The ACLU is going to be BUSY for the next four years all across the country.

Donation time. Fuck these bigots.

 

[el jacko]

I'm curious if the wording of the bill is vague enough that one could reject an interracial couple's adoption bid. If so, the bill is toast.

I actually wonder if there's a chance it could survive if it was just anti-LGBT, though.

 

[Messofanego]

How pathetic to have so much hate.