Tennessee Governor Signs Bill To Allow Faith-Based Foster Care/Adoption Organizations To Discriminate On Religious Basis

On January 24, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation to prevent the state from requiring private faith-based foster care and adoption provider organizations to work with foster or adoptive parents who do not agree with the provider organization’s written religious or moral convictions. The state cannot require the private organization to perform, assist, consent to, refer, or participate in a foster care or adoption placement.

The legislation, House Bill (HB) 836, prohibits the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services or any state or local government entity from the following:

Requiring a private licensed child-placing agency to . . .