Republican leaders in the Arizona House are coming under fire for refusing to update laws that effectively give preference to heterosexual couples in adopting children, let alone debate them.
Despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling allowing same-sex marriage last year, Arizona still has a law on the books that allows only a husband and wife to jointly adopt children. So a married gay couple could only adopt a child under one of their names.
The law also says if a choice exists between a single person and a married couple, "placement preference shall be with a married man and woman."
Gov. Doug Ducey last year directed the Department of Child Safety to ignore the law. But on Wednesday House Minority Whip Rebecca Rios said it should be repealed before some other governor has different thoughts, though the House GOP leadership has blocked any effort to debate it.
"If there are folks here that don't agree with same-sex marriage couples adopting children, then say it. Have the courage to have the debate on the House floor," Rios said.
House Speaker David Gowan sidestepped questions of why bills that would allow for debate have not been scheduled. And gubernatorial press aide Daniel Scarpinato said his boss believes the Supreme Court ruling on marriage settled the issue.
Meanwhile, Cathi Herrod of the conservative Center for Arizona Policy contended that ruling does not affect the ability of state lawmakers to say who can adopt.
"And the Legislature can still set forth public policy that children deserve a mom and a dad, that moms give to children what dads don't give, and dads give what moms don't give," she argued.