ILLINOIS: Republican Rep Attempts Adoption End Run Around Civil Unions

An Illinois GOP state senator has filed a bill that would grant a religious exemption to the state's Civil Union Act. Via the Christian Post:

State Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) introduced a bill to amend the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act to give faith-based agencies such as Catholic Charities the right to decline an adoption or a foster family home application if it violates the group's religious beliefs. McCarter said the bill has a strong chance of passage. "I do believe that if it's sent to the floor, there [are] enough votes to pass it in the House and the Senate," McCarter told the State Journal-Register. If the bill is passed in both the state House and Senate, it will go into effect immediately. The bill is great news for Catholic Charities attorney Peter Breen. He believes lawmakers did not intend for the Civil Union Act to put one of the state's oldest foster care and adoption agencies out of business.

Catholic Charities lost their publicly-funded contract this summer when they refused to comply with state law.