WASHINGTON, DC, May 4, 2004 – The Family Pride Coalition condemns the passage of Oklahoma House Bill 1821, which was signed by Governor Brad Henry this morning.
The anti-gay, anti-family measure would require the state, its agencies and the courts of Oklahoma to not recognize adoptions from other jurisdictions by same-sex couples. This law will undoubtedly create potentially harmful situations for same-sex couples who are both legal parents of their children who may move to or travel through Oklahoma. In the case of second-parent adoptions where one parent is the biological parent, the non-biological parent may be denied access to their children in the hospital or barred from making medical decisions for their children.
On April 12, Sen. James Williamson (R-Tulsa), offered the measure as an amendment to another bill. The Senate passed the measure by a 44-0 vote on that day and the House by a 93-4 vote on April 26.
"This bill fails to support Oklahoma families, and does not address any problems currently faced by the State of Oklahoma. This discriminatory law benefits no one, but instead jeopardizes the legal status of our adoptive families – both those who live in Oklahoma and those who may simply travel through," said Aimee Gelnaw, executive director of the Family Pride Coalition. "This creates uncertainty for our families, and leaves countless numbers of children and families vulnerable.
"As a parent through the second-parent adoption process, my family is directly impacted by this law," Gelnaw said. "It is beyond reprehensible that any government would deny any children the protections that come with having two legal parents who go to great lengths to be responsible for them."
This bill flies in the face of position statements from leading child welfare organizations who have supported joint and/or second-parent adoptions by same-sex couples, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Welfare League of America, North American Council on Adoptable Children, American Psychological Association, American Bar Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychoanalytic Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
The Family Pride Coalition is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families.