HRC Blog

Monday Morning Roundup

June 29, 2009

Catching up on a few stories from the weekend so here's a quick look at the headlines: The Office of Management and Budget indicated last week that they have completed review of a proposed regulation which would remove the remaining barrier to HIV-positive visitors and immigrants. The proposal, which OMB indicates would remove HIV from the list of communicable diseases that bar foreign nationals from entering the United States, will now be published in the Federal Register and open for a period of public comment. After reviewing those comments, the Department of Health and Human Services will issue a final regulation. Check back today for the latest on this story. The Vermillion, SD school board voted to add sexual orientation and gender identity to their nondiscrimination policy. Congratulations to Equality South Dakota and the ACLU of South Dakota on a great victory. Good news for families in Delaware... In the next few days the Governor has said he will sign SB84, a de facto parent bill which gives the Family Court the power to grant second parent adoptions, so that same-sex couples can both be legal parents to their children. There have been no second parent adoptions in Delaware since the state Supreme Court issued a ruling earlier this year ending the practice. A new poll from a Christian research firm reports that 60% of gays in lesbians say faith is important to their lives. As we often discuss on this blog, LGBT people are too often portrayed as being at odds with religion, but this poll demonstrates just the opposite.