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If you are not familiar with proposed Texas House Bill 1911, you may wish to familiarize yourself with it, if you are a single person, or part of a same-sex couple. This bill, proposed and written by Rep. Robert Talton, would prevent any unmarried person, including those in same-sex relationships, from serving as foster parents. If this bill would affect you, please find out all you can about it, and then take the appropriate action to express your opinion.
Article from Austin American-Statesman about HB1911:
[url]http://www.statesman.com/hp/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0403/0422foster.html[/url]
Jennifer
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Single people (especially those without birth children) often make great foster parents as the dive into it, give it their all and don't have to worry about messing up their marriage or hurting their bio-children as foster parenting can often do.
Here about 40% of foster parents state wide are single. So, if it passes they are giving up a large resource.
Are they planning on opening up large group homes and residential youth centers?
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The bill was changed after midnight during discussion to exclude only gays and lesbians, rather than ALL singles as foster parents. This would displace hundreds of children, who would be relocated to group homes or shelters, if the bill passes. The legislator proposing the bill does not plan to take any foster children himself. If you oppose this bill, please fax or snail mail members of the Texas Legislature State Affairs Committee. Additionally, Rep. Sid Miller is proposing a law to prohibit gays and lesbians from adopting in the state of Texas - the law is not limited to kids from the foster care system. More information on both bills is posted at the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby website, at [url]http://www.lgrl.org/index.html.[/url]
Jennifer
This new bill both angers me and makes me sad!! I am a single parent myself but am not gay... I do however, think that everyone that is caring enough and truly wants to share themselves with a child, should be able to.. Has anyone ever done some kind of study on whether being a gay or lesbian effects how a child turns out in foster care....?? I haven't heard of any so far!! Well this is my little soap box and I will not back down because I know that anyone that wants to be a family should be able to no matter what they do behind closed doors!! The people that represent out country need to look at WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE CHILDREN AND NOT THE ADULTS IN THIS WORLD!! I think if they did this then we wouldn't have so many kids in foster care that don't get adopted and we would also have a lot more families that want to adopt!! Look at the things we put these kids through time and again!! Having as many loving homes as we can will help the problems these kids have!! Please tell me how I can make my voice heard on this matter!!!