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Gay Childcare Law Passes Cal. Assembly
by Mark Worrall
365Gay.com Newscenter
San Francisco Bureau
May 13, 2003
5:53 p.m. ET/+5GMT/-3PT
(Sacramento, California) LGBT children in California's foster care system have won new protections against discrimination and abuse.
Under new legislation passed by the Assembly, prospective foster parents will be required to take anti-discrimination training. The bill must still pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Gray Davis to become law.
The bill seeks to insure sure foster parents respect children's race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. Currently there are approximately 250,000 foster children in California.
Assemblywoman Judy Chu ( D-Monterey Park), the main sponsor of the bill, said it makes it "clear that it is unacceptable to insult, to assault, to do some name calling against a foster child."
Assemblyman Paul Koretz ( D-West Hollywood) said, "We want to make sure gay teens don't stay with foster parents who aren't equipped to deal with these issues in a healthy and caring way."
The legislation passed on mainly party lines. Assembly Republicans opposed the bill, calling it part of a "social agenda" to advance gay rights, and predicted it will cause a greater shortage of foster parents claiming most foster parents are faith-oriented, and many believe that homosexuality is wrong.
Similar legislation was passed last year but vetoed by Davis over a provision that required the state to recruit gay foster care providers in the same way it recruits minority-group providers. Davis said the state's budget crisis prevented it from taking on a major new outreach effort.
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