HB1669

House Bill 1669, titled the 'Keep Kids First Act,' establishes legal protections for faith-based child placement agencies and foster or adoptive parents regarding their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. The bill prohibits state and local government entities from taking 'discriminatory actions' against these individuals or agencies, such as withholding funding, licenses, or contracts due to their refusal to participate in placements that conflict with their beliefs. It specifically protects the right to refuse to support government policies regarding sexual orientation or gender identity that contradict an entity's religious convictions. The act allows affected parties to bring claims against the government, seek declaratory or injunctive relief, and recover compensatory damages and attorney's fees. It also explicitly waives sovereign immunity for the state to allow for such claims. Finally, the bill clarifies that its provisions are meant to supplement, not replace, existing religious freedom protections under state and federal law.