A proposed amendment the civil union act that would grant religious foster care agencies the right to turn away civil union couples has been filed in the Illinois Senate.
Sen. Kyle McCarter introduced an amendment on Oct. 12.
According to the bill's synopsis it "provides that a child welfare agency that is religiously based or owned by, operated by, or affiliated with a bona fide religious organization may decline an adoption or foster family home application, including any related licensure and placement, from a party to a civil union if acceptance of that application would constitute a violation of the organization's sincerely held religious beliefs."
The bill comes after months of dispute between a group of Catholic charities and the State of Illinois, which denied the charities $30 million foster care contracts after they refused to place children with civil union couples and single people. The charities lost a court battle earlier this year over the contracts and have stated their intention to appeal the ruling.
The Civil Rights Agenda ( TCRA ) vowed to fight off the bill in a press statement issued Oct. 14.
"Obviously, the civil institutions behind this affront to LGBT civil rights are not backing down," said Anthony Martinez, TCRA executive Director, in the statement. "We will not either. We had hoped to kill this bill quietly as has been done in the past. Unfortunately, that strategy is no longer an option and our opposition has now been galvanized."
Equality Illinois urged its supporters in an email to contact McCarter directly and ask him to withdraw the bill.
"All agencies - including religious ones - that accept public funds to offer any services on behalf of the state should not be allowed to discriminate," wrote Bernard Cherkasov, executive director of Equality Illinois, in the email.