The so-called "Keep Kids First Act" (HB1669) is a dangerous bill that prioritizes the personal religious beliefs of adoption and foster care providers over the best interests of children in the child welfare system. This legislation would allow agencies that receive state funds to discriminate against prospective adoptive and foster parents based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or other characteristics — all under the guise of “religious freedom.”
Rather than ensuring that every child has access to a safe, loving, and affirming home, this bill creates a license to discriminate, limiting the pool of available families and further straining an already overburdened foster care system. It could result in children being denied stable placements simply because a provider objects to the identities or beliefs of otherwise qualified parents.
The ACLU of Arkansas strongly opposes HB1669 because it violates the core principle that child welfare decisions should always be based on the needs of children — not the beliefs of providers. Every child deserves a loving home, free from discrimination and political agendas. This bill puts ideological interests above the well-being of Arkansas' most vulnerable children.
We urge lawmakers to reject this harmful legislation.
