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It has come to our attention that Appellate Chief Kyle Duncan of the Louisiana Attorney General's office has been lobbying members of the Legislature to support HB 60 (pef alert), which is widely seen as an anti-gay initiative.
Currently, the only people who may adopt a child in Louisiana are single adults or heterosexual married couples. The pertinent Children's Code articles are 1198 and 1221. They are identical except for how the adoption is done; either through an agency or a private adoption:
A single person, eighteen years or older, or a married couple jointly may petition to adopt a child through an agency (text of CHC 1221: may petition to privately adopt a child). When one joint petitioner dies after the petition has been filed, the adoption proceedings may continue as though the survivor was a single original petitioner.
So, how does HB 60 take rights away from adopted children?
Because HB 60 will prevent the State Registrar of Vital Records from issuing a birth certificate to an adopted child with both their adoptive parents' names on it, unless they are married in accordance with state law.
Yep, that's right ... not only does the bill deny children of gay parents the right to have both their adoptive parents' names listed on their birth certificate, but it also deprives children of unmarried heterosexual couples the right to have both their adoptive parents' names listed on the birth certificate.
Why is this a big deal? Because it denies those children inheritance rights in the case of a parent who does not have a will. And it makes it even more difficult for them the right to apply for rather standard benefits such as school registration, medical coverage, life insurance and government benefits.
All in the name of the Louisiana Family Forum's crusade against gay citizens. And it is absolutely shameful for the Louisiana Attorney General's Office to be lobbying in support of HB 60 in the person of Associate Chief Kyle Duncan, especially since the citizens hurt most by this bill are not gay citizens, but children.
I stupidly thought that the Louisiana Attorney General's office was supposed to protect the vulnerable amongst us. Apparently not.
An email for comment to the Louisiana Attorney General's Communications Director has thus far gone unanswered.
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