Arkansas court strikes down parenting ban

An Arkansas court today struck down a law challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union that bans any unmarried person who lives with a partner from serving as an adoptive or foster parent in the state of Arkansas. "We are happy that the court recognized that Act 1 harms Arkansas's foster children because it eliminates potential qualified parents," said Holly Dickson, staff attorney with the ACLU of Arkansas. "We have a critical shortage of homes now and this ban was denying good, loving homes to our most vulnerable children." The ACLU filed its complaint against the law, known as Act 1, in December 2008. Plaintiffs participating in the case included a lesbian couple who adopted an Arkansas foster child before Act 1 was passed and would like to open their home to a second special needs child, a grandmother who was barred by Act 1 from adopting her own grandchild and several married heterosexual couples who would have been prohibited by Act 1 from arranging for certain friends or relatives to adopt their children if they die or become incapacitated.