The regualtions as they have been proposed are in keeping with both the Virginia Statutes on Religious Freedom and the Constitution of the United States of America, particularly the First Amendment. Our state and federal governments are prohibited from treating faith based organizations in a unique fashion in any law or regulation.

The government is prohibited from establishing a particular state religion and is prohibited from restricting individuals free exercise of our religious principles. This is at the very core of the discussion on these adoption regulations. Organizations may not be forced nor prohibited from placing children in homes according to their policies and procedures.

There are organizations that will place children in non-traditional environments and no one to my knowledge is attempting to prevent them from doing so. Likewise, no one should be trying to force faith based organizations from having standards of adoption that reflect their deeply held beliefs.