Governor Fallin Signs Adoption Bill

Friday Governor Fallin signed Senate Bill 1140 into law which would allow adoption agencies to deny prospective parents who do not meet an agency's religious or moral standards.

LGBT groups opposed the bill, saying it would grant legal protection to faith-based groups that don't want to place children with same-sex couples.

A supporter of the bill Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City said that this new law will not stop anyone from adopting.

“We are grateful for Gov. Fallin’s support of religious liberty in Oklahoma. The new law will bring more adoption services to the state and allow crucial faith-based agencies to continue their decades-long tradition of caring for Oklahoma’s most vulnerable children. Since the law does not change the process for placing foster children or ban any family from adopting, we hope and pray this action will increase the number of children matched with loving families,” said Coakley.

In her own statement, the Governor said:

"Other states that have declined the protection to faith-based agencies have seen these agencies close their doors, leaving less options for successful placement of children who need loving parents."
 

The law will go into effect November 1, 2018.