I am contacting you in regards to the extended public comment period concerning proposed regulations governing private adoption services in Virginia. While regulations were adopted in April by the Virginia Board of Social Services, I understand that certain special interest groups did not agree with the regulations and threatened legal action unless the public comment period was extended. These groups had nearly two years to make their case on this matter and should not have been allowed to block implementation of these regulations by extending the public comment period.

Religious freedom originated in Virginia and is one of our country's greatest strengths. Private organizations that place children according to their religious beliefs should not be penalized for not placing children into homes with homosexual parents. There are other organizations in Virginia that do place children in such environments, so this does not present any hardship to homosexual couples. However, by making it a requirement that all adoption agencies be open to placing children in homosexual households will present a hardship to those organizations for which this is a violation of their religious beliefs, as well as for those birthmothers who hold the same beliefs. Such organizations will be forced to choose between violating their deeply held beliefs or closing their doors. This will limit the number of adoption agencies and cause undue hardship for birthmothers and, ultimately, children.

Please allow the regulations that were adopted in April to stand and protect the religious liberties of Virginia's private adoption agencies and the birthmothers they serve. Thank you.