Illinois probing Catholic groups for adoption discrimination

(Reuters) - The state of Illinois is looking into allegations that several Catholic groups providing adoption services for the state illegally discriminate against unmarried and gay couples, a lawsuit filed on Tuesday showed.

In a March 8 letter to the charitable arm of the Diocese of Springfield, the Illinois attorney general's office said it was investigating reports the group "discriminates against Illinois citizens based on race, marital status and sexual orientation in its provision of foster care services."

The letter, which was included as an exhibit in a lawsuit filed by the charitable arms of the dioceses of Springfield, Peoria and Joliet, warned that such policies violated the Illinois Human Rights Act, a statute that bars discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on marital status or sexual orientation, among other things.

In the March 8 letter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the diocese, which has a contract with the state's Department of Children and Family Services to help place children, to turn over a host of internal documents, including "all policies and requirements for adoptive parents and foster parents."

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