In response to today’s vote in the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the following statement can be attributed to James Parrish, executive director, Equality Virginia.
“A bill to allow second-parent adoption would have done one thing, and one thing only – protect Virginia’s children. It is extremely discouraging that our lawmakers cannot come together in support of a commonsense bill that would ensure all children have legal access to the parents who are raising them.
“When it is deemed to be in the best interest of the child, and there are two willing and capable adults who are trying to ensure that their children are given all of the opportunities, protection, and support that having two parents can offer, there is absolutely no reason that the law should stand in the way.”