People have an additional 30 days to comment on proposed state regulations for private adoption agencies.
The Virginia Board of Social Services unanimously agreed to reopen comment on the rules after stripping out language barring discrimination against prospective parents based on gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.
The board left in language to block discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
Gay-rights and civil-liberties groups pushed for more comment after the board action, arguing that state law requires more time for input if the changes have "substantial impact" and at least 25 people ask the board for a chance to comment.
Jo Ellen Gaines told board members Wednesday that her son and his partner, who live in California, have been married for 15 years and are in the process of adopting a child.
"I speak to this as a mother and potential grandmother who knows many loving families who are not being allowed to provide much-needed homes for children in our state," said Gaines, of Mechanicsville. "My husband and I want to be grandparents, too."
Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, said the groups that pushed for more comment have been aware of the proposed regulations for nearly two years and "had ample opportunity to make their case."
"With the specter of costly litigation hanging over their heads, the decision by the board to reopen the public comment period is no surprise," Cobb said. "But we know that this decision was not based on any merit to arguments presented in favor of the decision."
The amended regulations, which govern the 81 private adoption agencies licensed in the state, started slogging through the regulatory process under the Kaine administration and were signed in July by Gov. Bob McDonnell.
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