I strongly believe that the best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents.  State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, or sexual orientation.  The State Board of Social Services should therefore restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.