NEWS FLASH

Virginia’s Anti-Gay Adoption Restrictions May Create Costs For State | A Williams Institute study suggests that Virginia will incur additional costs by passing a provision that allows private adoption agencies to refuse to place children with couples based on religious or moral beliefs, essentially legalizing and encouraging discrimination against same-sex couples. The House passed the bill last week and the Senate has advanced it out of committee. According to the report, for every child that cannot be placed in an appropriate foster or adoptive home, the state will have to pay an addition $2,000 for congregate care. The state will also have to pay nearly $30,000 for every child that remains in foster care. Currently, there are about 5,500 children in Virginia’s foster care system. Given Virginia law already prohibits unmarried couples from adopting, the new policy will likely further limit the state’s ability to find homes for children.