PA SB944

Prohibits county agencies and authorized public or private foster care and adoption agencies from denying individuals the opportunity to become adoptive parents, foster parents, or kinship caregivers based on disability, race, creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, or communicable disease including HIV

Bars agencies from denying care for a specific child or delaying placement based on protected characteristics of the child, unless documented with a clear nexus to meeting the child's needs and not detrimental to the child's health or welfare

Prevents agencies from requiring different or additional screening processes based on protected characteristics of prospective caregivers or children unless necessary to determine if placement would be detrimental to the child

Prohibits agencies from denying eligible individuals the opportunity to become caregivers solely due to preference for any religious establishment or mode of worship, per Section 3 of Article I of the Pennsylvania Constitution

Takes effect 60 days after enactment and requires the department to promulgate implementing regulations