“This law does a great disservice to kids in care. Those children deserve loving, stable homes, and providing them should be Kansas’ first priority. Senate Bill 284 works against that principle by allowing state-funded agencies to turn away prospective parents – in the name of religion – because they’re a same-sex couple, interfaith, previously divorced or the ‘wrong religion.’ This law is indefensible," said AU President and CEO Rachel Laser.

Despite overwhelming opposition, some members of Congress are trying to sneak a federally funded voucher program into a must-pass defense spending bill. Two amendments were proposed to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would divert critical federal funding from public schools that serve military families and funnel it to unaccountable private and religious schools.

A federal appeals court heard oral argument about whether a large cross on public property in Florida violates religious freedom. Americans United and allies had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, urging the court to affirm that governmental display of the cross is unconstitutional.

Oregon’s Department of Education is investigating disturbing reports of potential violations of religious freedom and LGBTQ rights at a public high school, including that staff may have been using their personal religious beliefs to determine how they treat LGBTQ students.