ACTION ALERT: Texas House votes to ban gay foster parents 81-58

[Ian David]

LGB FOSTER PARENTS TARGETED BY DISCRIMINATORY AMENDMENT

Family Pride Coalition Action Alert

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

LGB FOSTER PARENTS TARGETED BY DISCRIMINATORY AMENDMENT

Yesterday, the Texas House of Representatives voted to ban gay, lesbian and bisexual Texans from serving as foster parents. The legislation also authorizes the state to conduct investigations into the sexual orientation of current foster parents. Representative Robert Talton (R-Pasadena) by-passed the committee process by introducing this legislation as an amendment to the larger foster care restructuring bill, Senate Bill 6. The legislation was adopted by a vote of 81-58.

Talton filed two anti-gay foster care measures during the 2003 session. Both bills died in committee.

This amendment would tear apart loving and stable families, and further reduces the already too-small pool of qualified foster parents in the state of Texas. In addition to the emotional and social cost of destroying Texas families, this legislation would also cost the state as much as $8 million a year by reducing the number of qualified foster parents and to conduct investigations into the sexual orientation of potential and current foster parents.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!!

We need ALL Texans who care about children to call their State Senator and ask them to remove Talton's amendment, which would ban lesbian, gay and bisexual Texans from serving as foster parents, from SB 6. His amendment would bring untold harm to thousands of Texas children.

Ken Armbrister
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Kip Averitt
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Gonzalo Barrientos
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Kim Brimer
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

John Carona
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Bob Deuell
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Robert Duncan
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Rodney G. Ellis
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Kevin Eltife
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Craig Estes
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Troy Fraser
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Mario Gallegos
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Chris Harris
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Mike Jackson
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Kyle Janek
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Jon Lindsay
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Eddie Lucio, Jr.
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Frank L. Madla
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Jane Nelson
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Steve Ogden
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Kel Seliger
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Florence Shapiro
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Eliot Shapleigh
[phone]

Todd Staples
[phone]

Leticia Van de Putte
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Jeff Wentworth
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Royce West
[phone]

John Whitmire
[phone]

Tommy Williams
[phone]
[phone] (fax)

Judith Zaffirini
[phone]


To send a fax to your own State Senator, go to www.lgrl.org.



The Family Pride Coalition is the only national non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families.

By becoming a member of the Family Pride Coalition you have the opportunity to dramatically affect the lives of LGBT parents and their families. Please join the Family Pride Coalition today by filling out our online membership form by clicking http://www.familypride.org/joinus.htm.

Cross-posted in related thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=180&topic_id=13370#13394

[EC]

1. This is just wrong....

And this part is scary: The legislation also authorizes the state to conduct investigations into the sexual orientation of current foster parents

Nominated, these faxes should go out and now, make an example of this state, Texas is set up as the example for so many of Bush's agenda, let's use it...let them know this is wrong...

[Ian David]

5. Like they have the time for MORE investigations

I don't know about Texas, but here in Massachusetts there is a huge backlog of home-visits.

Looks like another un-funded mandate.

[Patiod]

2. Because there are too many people competing to foster kids

and you have to winnow the huge waiting list down somehow

Oh please.

[davidinalameda]

3. did you post this in the Texas state forum

you might want to ask the mods to transfer this if you didn't

[Ian David]

4. I cross-posted this to an existing thread in the Texas forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=180&topic_id=13370#13394

[Maat]

6. Oh, God!

There are many kids whose lives are turning around because of a loving household - what is a social worker supposed to do - remove a kid and destroy their life? And, if a kid is in the system, the foster parent and kid will have a hard time moving out-of-state. And they probably can't go 'guardianship' really quickly or finalize an adoption. This is disastrous.

I think I'm going to go hug my daughter (adoption finalized 5-1/2 years ago). I'm not gay, but I sure do appreciate the pain this is going to cause.

[Dark]

7. Don't tell me you're surprised. n/t

[Stevious]

8. Texas Backs Off Bill to Ban Gay Foster Parents

Texas Backs Off Bill to Ban Gay Foster Parents

The governor says the proposal could hurt efforts to revamp a child protection agency.


By Scott Gold, Times Staff Writer

HOUSTON — Leading Republicans in Texas distanced themselves Friday from a proposal to make the state the only one to prohibit gays and lesbians from being foster parents. It appears the plan will die without becoming law.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-foster23apr23,1,1934195.story?ctrack=1&cset=true