Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee has the opportunity to fix the anti-LGBT adoption bill (HB 159) by removing discriminatory amendments targeting same-sex couples and prospective LGBT parents for discrimination. Instead, the latest word from the State House is that committee members, led by Sen. William Ligon, are doubling down on the anti-LGBT components of the legislation—which would leave the bill tainted beyond repair.

In addition to the thousands of Georgians who have already spoken out against HB 159, leading national child welfare organizations have penned an open letter to the Georgia Legislature in opposition to the discriminatory legislation. See that letter here.

Then, read the email below—which went out to supporters of LGBT equality earlier today—and find ways to take action to block anti-LGBT HB 159.

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Today HB 159—the adoption bill that got spoiled by anti-LGBT amendments—is on the schedule for a second hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Committee members were tasked with fixing the bill and removing the anti-LGBT components. But instead, Sen. Ligon—the lead proponent of the discriminatory amendments—is digging in.

We’ve got intel that Sen. Ligon is planning to introduce an add-on today that he claims “fixes” the bill, but in reality, it just doubles down on his original agenda: To advance LGBT discrimination by permitting private adoption agencies to refuse to work with same-sex couples and prospective LGBT parents in Georgia.

This bill could advance to the full Senate for a final vote as soon as TOMORROW. Rush a message to your Senators now and urge them to reject this tainted adoption bill.

Clearly, Sen. Ligon does NOT have the best interest of Georgians at heart.

He’s willing to kill a good adoption bill that advanced out of the House with strong bipartisan support.
…to put Georgia’s 10,000+ orphans and foster children in harms way by restricting the already overburdened pool of loving families.
…to jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to our hamstrung adoption care system.

…and for what? Just to advance anti-LGBT discrimination in Georgia.

What’s more, his discriminatory agenda is already taking a dangerous toll on Georgia’s national reputation. Today, a host of national adoption organizations are penning letters to Georgia legislators in opposition to the anti-LGBT amendments in this otherwise strong adoption bill.

This insanity has to stop. We’ve got 24 hours to flood the inboxes of Georgia state senators to urge them to reject anti-LGBT HB 159. Click here to send your message now.

I thought we had moved beyond this sad chapter in our state’s history, friend. But today Sen. Ligon proved that some lawmakers will stop at nothing to write discrimination into state laws.

Thanks for speaking out and holding your Senators accountable to welfare of everyday Georgians.