Discriminatory bill heads to Kansas House of Representatives

The Gayly graphic.

Late yesterday, the Kansas Senate amended HB 2481 to include the contents of SB 401/HB 2687, which will allow taxpayer-funded child placement agencies to deny placement in LGBT+ homes based on religious freedom.

The bill now moves to the House.

Call your representatives and ask them not to support HB 2481.

Look up your representative by using your home address here.

This bill will allow private child placement agencies to be paid taxpayer dollars to provide state services to Kansans, and then refuse to serve entire categories of Kansas citizens. 

This is similar to 2014’s HB 2453, which would have allowed state employees to refuse to serve LGBT+ Kansans.

HB2481 will overturn “best interest” practices in favor of placements based on the religious demands of the placement agencies.

Proponents of this bills claim they will be “forced to shut down” if these bills are not passed.

Liz Hamor, Volunteer Chairperson at GLSEN Greater Wichita, said "Alright, people. This is not a drill. Kansas legislators want allow LGBTQ discrimination. If that's not bad enough, all of our tax dollars go to these orgs that would be allowed to discriminate, so LGBTQ and ally folks would be paying into places that would be allowed to discriminate against them! Make your calls today! Go to www.kslegislature.org and click on the "Find your Legislators" on the left if you need to know who to call!"

Visit Equality Kansas for more information.

The Gayly. March 29, 2018. 11:01 a.m. CST.