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House debate centers on bill to bar DCF from excluding prospective foster or adoptive parents over stated beliefs
Summary
A contentious floor debate unfolded over HB 2311, a bill that would bar the secretary of Department for Children and Families from adopting policies that exclude otherwise eligible foster or adoptive parents because of their religious or moral beliefs about sexual orientation or gender identity. Supporters described the bill as protecting religious
Note: The body text for this article contains careful attributions and summarizes a long, polarized debate recorded on the House floor.
The Kansas House spent substantial floor time on HB 2311, legislation sponsored by Representative Johnson that would restrict the Department for Children and Families (DCF) from adopting or enforcing policies that disqualify a person from placement, custody, licensure or adoption solely because of the person’s “sincerely held religious or moral beliefs regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Supporters framed the bill as protecting prospective foster and adoptive families from exclusion based on conscience or religion. Representative Johnson said the bill is intended to prevent pre‑screening…
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