The separation of church and state has no boundaries in South Dakota. A new law passed by the house and senate will allow government-funded adoption agencies the right to turn away LGBT people. It allows discrimination based on religious beliefs. Wait. The government has religious beliefs when a recent poll stated that the United States was 25% Atheist?
Oh, South Dakota, your ignorance is showing and here are the numbers to prove it. Senate Bill 149 passed by a vote of 43–20–7 in the House and 22–12 in the Senate on Thursday March 2nd.
The bill allows religious beliefs to be a factor when processing adoption claims for LGBT people and would prohibit the state from actively taking adverse action against child placement agencies for discriminatory behavior.
Will this pass the approval of South Dakota Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard? Will he veto the bill? A year March 1st, South Dakota Gov. Vetoes Anti-Transgender 'Bathroom Bill'.
Matt McTighe, executive director of Freedom for All Americans, told the Washington Blade: ‘In the past, Governor Daugaard has opposed discriminatory legislation, including an anti-transgender bill that lawmakers pushed through the legislature last year, which he later vetoed.
Daugaard has five days to decide if he wants to sign the bill or veto it.
There is a chance the discrimination might not stop at LGBTI people, with concerns adoption agencies are largely affiliated with religious organizations.
The religious freedom bill could also discriminate against other religions, single people, divorcees or Native Americans. – medium.com
We continue to be a target. I wonder how many of those 43+22 South Dakota Congressional members have opened their bigoted loving home to adopt a child?
Do the right thing Governor Daugaard. Keep church and state separate. Keep bigotry out of public policy.