OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill opposed by gay rights advocates who say it would allow religious-based adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples, single people and non-Christians has passed the Oklahoma House.
The bill passed the GOP-controlled House Thursday on a 60-26 vote, but its supporters were unable to remove an amendment to the bill that extends the protections only to agencies that receive no state or federal funds. The Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, which endorsed the original bill, says it is working to remove the amendment.
The bill in its original form was designed to protect child-placing agencies that block adoptive parents who do not meet the agencies' religious or moral standards.
Similar laws have been passed in at least seven other states, including Alabama, South Dakota and Texas last year.
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