Illinois Senate Committee Votes Down Senate Bill 1993

An anti-gay adoption legislation referred to as Senate Bill 1993 was brought before the Illinois State Senate but recently failed to pass a committee vote, according to Gather. Had it passed, same-sex couples in Chicago and throughout the state would have faced many limitations and have a more difficult time adopting a child.

HuffPost Chicago reported that SB 1993 would have allowed "faith-based" adoption agencies to reject would-be parents based on certain religious criteria, which could have led to the exclusion of agnostics, atheists, and other Illinois residents who practice a different faith and whose denominations do not operate its own adoption centers.

Many LGBT and civil rights advocates also feared SB 1993 would have given organizations more liberty to deny adoptions to same-sex couples or other gay, lesbian, bisexuals, and transgender individuals whose relationships or lifestyle did not agree with its religion.

The bill would have also permitted state-run agencies to incorporate religion into their practice even though they are expected to remain secular. Agencies that use government funds are prohibited from discriminating against citizens for illegal reasons, such as on the basis of religion and sexual orientation, which are protected under Illinois law.

Although SB 1993’s failure to pass was relatively narrow with a committee vote of 5-4, many Illinois residents were still pleased by the news. Ed Yonka, from the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois in Chicago, said the news was good “for children who need a loving home” because it meant private agencies would continue “conducting a state function [that] can’t discriminate against them in finding a loving home.”

“That’s really a victory for kids,” said Yonka.

To learn more about your legal options when it comes to adoption in Illinois, meet with an experienced family law attorney who can explain your rights and how the process of adoption works. For general information, browse through the Related Resources links below.

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