LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Faith-based adoption agencies that are paid by the state of Michigan will no longer be able to turn away LGBT couples or individuals because of religious objections under a legal settlement announced Friday. The lawsuit alleged that the same-sex couples were turned away by Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services because they are gay. A 2015 Republican-enacted law says child-placement agencies are not required to provide any services that conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs. As of 2015, Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services were on average doing 25 to 30 percent of the state’s foster care adoptions. The agency said it would be unable to keep its adoption and foster programs going without the state contract.

Source: Huffington Post March 22, 2019 23:03 UTC