After months of battle with the state, a group of Catholic charities have dropped their lawsuit over foster care contracts denied to them for declining to place children in accordance with the new civil union act.
The Department of Child and Family Services refused to offer the charities new contracts earlier this year because the charities would not place children with civil union couples or single people.
The issue came to a head in June when the civil union act went into effect.
The dioceses of Joliet, Springfield, Belleville and Peoria filed suit against the charities. A Sangamon County judge ruled against the charities in August, a decision that the charities said they would appeal. Currently, just charities in of Joliet, Springfield and Belleville remained in the fight.
The Civil Rights Agenda ( TCRA ) announced that the charities had dropped the case on Nov. 14.
"Finding a loving home for the thousands of children in the foster/adoption system should be the priority, not trying to exclude people based on religious dogma," said Anthony Martinez, executive director of TCRA in a statement. "Dropping this suit is a step in the right direction for what is best for all the citizens of this great state."
Still, all Illinois Senate Republicans are currently backing a proposed amendment the civil union act that would grant religious foster care agencies the right to turn away civil union couples.
LGBT activists have said they would fight off the bill and that despite strong Republican support, the bill is not likely to advance far.