DENVER, CO– The House today passed HB21-1072, sponsored by Representative Meg Froelich, on second reading. The bill prohibits adoption agencies and foster youth service providers from discriminating against LGBTQ youth or prospective adoptive or foster parents.
“No prospective parent should ever be denied the right to start a family, and no young person in Colorado should ever be denied the foster services they need because of who they are or who they love,” said Rep. Froelich, D-Englewood. “Today, as adoption and foster agencies across America update their policies to be more inclusive of LGBTQ youth and parents, we’re building on national momentum to make sure our laws are inclusive and lead to more warm, loving, tight-knit families.”
HB21-1072, sponsored by Representative Meg Froelich, would require an out-of-home placement provider to ensure fair and equal access to all available programs, benefits, and services offered by the provider. The bill prohibits a foster service or adoption agency from denying any person the opportunity to become an adoptive or foster parent, or from delaying or denying the placement of a child on the basis of any real or perceived disability, race, creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, gender expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, or any communicable disease, including HIV of the prospective adoptive or foster parent or the child.
In addition, out-of-home placement must be provided in a way that is culturally responsive to the complex social identity of the youth. LGBTQ youth have faced barriers to access critical out-of-home placement services, with some denying services to LGBTQ youth. All Republicans on the committee voted to deny LGBTQ youth equal access to these critical services.