Arizona governor orders agency to end ban on adoption by same-sex couples
Source: Arizona Republic
Married same-sex couples will be allowed to adopt and foster Arizona children together, effective immediately, according to a statement Gov. Doug Ducey issued Wednesday night.
The statement came shortly after Ducey and his administration learned the Arizona Department of Child Safety in early February had ordered its staff to halt joint foster care licenses and adoptions for same-sex couples.
"With 17,000 children under the state's care, we need more adoption in Arizona, not less. That's why I feel strongly – as I have said many times before – that all loving families should be able to serve as foster parents and adopt," Ducey said in his statement. "Practices have been brought to my attention that do not match those priorities, therefore, I'm instructing the Arizona Department of Child Safety to immediately ensure that all legally married couples in Arizona are able to jointly serve as foster parents and adopt. All children deserve a loving home, and under my watch, I'm committed to making sure government encourages that."
... Following a November ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that overturned Arizona's marriage ban for same-sex couples, the department began issuing licenses to legally married same-sex couples. But then in an internal Feb. 4 memo, agency staff ordered an immediate halt to joint licenses for same-sex couples. The only reason given was because the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 16 had agreed to take up the issue.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/04/23/arizona-sex-couples-can-adopt-foster-together/26224297/
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