Same-sex adoption is the hot topic in various states this week, as Louisiana, Illinois, and Virginia all wrestle with the issue in different ways:

- DELAWARE: Today the House Administration Committee released the civil unions bill passed last week by the Senate, allowing it to proceed to a full House vote. Meanwhile, opponents of the bill are promoting harmful “ex-gay” rhetoric.

- HAWAII: The Hawaii Senate has passed a House bill that would provide transgender employment protections. The amended bill returns to the House for final consideration.

- ILLINOIS: Fulfilling their end of an apparent backroom deal to get Catholic Democrats’ support for civil unions, several Senators pushed a provision this week that would have protected religious charities’ ability to discriminate against same-sex couples in adoption and foster care services. The amendment failed in a committee vote today.

- LOUISIANA: An en banc decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a previous decision allowing a same-sex couple to have both their names on their son’s birth certificate. The couple has not made a decision yet on whether to appeal.

- MAINE: State Rep. Ken Fredette (R) is pushing a bill that would reopen discrimination against transgender individuals in public accommodations (like bathrooms and lockerrooms) by requiring they use facilities that match their biological sex.

- MARYLAND: The Senate killed a bill that would have ended discrimination against transgender Marylanders by sending it back to committee on the last day of the legislative session.

- NEVADA: The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee advanced a bill last week that would protect transgender Nevadans from discrimination in public accommodations and housing.

- TENNESSEE: A bill nullifying and preventing municipal nondiscrimination ordinances (such as the one Nashville just passed) continues to see progress, passing this week out of the House Commerce Committee. Meanwhile, the Senate today saw the introduction of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would prohibit elementary and middle schools from acknowledging the existence of gender variation or any sexual orientation except heterosexuality.

- TEXAS: An anti-bullying bill advanced out of the Texas House Committee on Public Education yesterday, though it does not specifically protect LGBT youth.

- VIRGINIA: All eyes are on Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) as the deadline approaches this week for him to make recommendations to the Virginia State Board of Social Services about a provision that would allow same-sex couples to adopt children. He has indicated he opposes the provision.

Keep track of how LGBT issues are advancing in the states at our State LGBT Watch.

On Monday, ThinkProgress spoke to National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) Brian Brown at the FAMiLY Leader’s Presidential Lecture Series with Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). Brown said that NOM was “helping sponsor” the events, but — like Bachmann — would not endorse the group’s controversial view that homosexuality was akin to second hand smoking:

VOLSKY: One of the things that the FAMiLY Leader has come under fire for is arguing that homosexuality is a health risk. They’ve likened it to second hand smoke. What’s your view on all that?

BROWN: Again, people can have different opinions about the nature of homosexuality, what its effects are. Our focus at the National Organization for Marriage is directly on the marriage issue. There are people who are openly gay that support our position….but what we do is bring all of those people together under one umbrella to support marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

Brown then went on to say that he receives emails from gay people all the time, saying that they oppose their own right to marry. Watch it:

Brown also responded to the recent declaration of NOM strategist and organizer Louis Marinelli that he now supports same-sex marriage. Describing Marinelli as “a bus driver” who “was never an employee of NOM,” Brown said, “people can choose what position they want on marriage. The bus driver on tour has decided that he would like to redefine marriage. This is a free country and we’re going to continue. It has very little effect on us. We’re going to continue standing up for marriage.”

Since defecting, Marinelli — who actually worked as a contractor for the group and had originated the marriage tour idea — has begun raising money for the Courage Campaign and has forced the group to establish a new Facebok page.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant reminded the world last night of the prevalent homophobia in the world of athletics. After receiving his 15th technical foul of the season, Bryant had a violent tantrum on the bench, captured by the cameras, including calling the referee a “fucking fag.” Watch it:

The Human Rights Campaign reacted, calling Bryant’s language “horribly offensive and distasteful” and reminding him that it “perpetuates a culture of discrimination and hate that all of us… should be working to eradicate.”

A 2009 study of sports reporters revealed that 65 percent report homophobia is an issue in men’s sports and only 20 percent felt an athlete who came out would be accepted by fans and other athletes.

Activist Sean Chapin has created a Facebook page calling for Bryant’s apology.