Signatures for adoption, foster ban submitted

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Supporters of a proposal aimed at barring homosexuals from adopting or fostering children turned in petitions on Monday in a bid to put the measure before voters this fall, but acknowledged they'll likely fall short of the required number of valid signatures.

Meanwhile, backers of a ballot measure aimed at denying state benefits for illegal immigrants said they're at least 10,000 signatures short.

Monday was the deadline for supporters of proposed ballot measures to submit signatures with the state. If the petitions are found to not have enough valid signatures, supporters have another 30 days to gather signatures. Both the immigration and adoption initiated acts required at least 61,974 valid signatures.

Jerry Cox, president of the Family Council Action Committee, said the group had gathered 65,899 signatures in support of the proposed initiated act banning unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children.

Cox said he expected that a number of signatures would be tossed out by the secretary of state's office and hoped to gather as many as 15,000 additional signatures. The petitions submitted fell short of the 100,000 signatures Cox said he hoped to submit by Monday's deadline.

"People simply have not been paying attention to this issue and I think that's been the greatest difficulty," Cox said. "It's not a lack of support as much as it is a lack of attention to the issue."

Opponents said the low number of signatures turned in shows how little support there is for the ban. The restriction has faced opposition from the state's top officials, including Gov. Mike Beebe and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.

A representative from Arkansas Families First, a coalition opposed to the ballot measure, said the group will monitor the signature verification process and has not ruled out challenging the measure in court.

"This ballot measure goes way too far, and I think that's one of the reasons why they're having trouble getting signatures," said Jennifer Ferguson, legal director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, which is part of the coalition opposed to the ban.

The state Supreme Court in 2006 struck down a state policy that specifically banned gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents. State policy currently bars unmarried couples living together from serving as foster parents.

Support for placing the foster care and adoption restriction on the ballot hasn't matched the enthusiasm the Family Council saw in its campaign to ban gay marriage in the state four years ago. Cox said his group submitted about 200,000 signatures in support of that proposed constitutional amendment, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters.

A group billing itself as Secure Arkansas appeared likely to fall short of its goal to place its immigration measure on November's ballot. Jeannie Burlsworth, the group's chairwoman, told The Associated Press that volunteers were still hoping more signatures would come in the mail Monday. Burlsworth says her group "tried to sweep them in and they're still out there."

Petitions have already been submitted for another high-profile ballot measure - a proposed constitutional amendment creating a state-run lottery to raise money for college scholarships.

Supporters of a proposal aimed at barring homosexuals from adopting or fostering children turned in petitions on Monday in a bid to put the measure before voters this fall, but acknowledged they'll likely fall short of the required number of valid signatures.

Meanwhile, backers of a ballot measure aimed at denying state benefits for illegal immigrants said they're at least 10,000 signatures short.

Monday was the deadline for supporters of proposed ballot measures to submit signatures with the state. If the petitions are found to not have enough valid signatures, supporters have another 30 days to gather signatures. Both the immigration and adoption initiated acts required at least 61,974 valid signatures.

Jerry Cox, president of the Family Council Action Committee, said the group had gathered 65,899 signatures in support of the proposed initiated act banning unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children.

Cox said he expected that a number of signatures would be tossed out by the secretary of state's office and hoped to gather as many as 15,000 additional signatures. The petitions submitted fell short of the 100,000 signatures Cox said he hoped to submit by Monday's deadline.

"People simply have not been paying attention to this issue and I think that's been the greatest difficulty," Cox said. "It's not a lack of support as much as it is a lack of attention to the issue."

Opponents said the low number of signatures turned in shows how little support there is for the ban. The restriction has faced opposition from the state's top officials, including Gov. Mike Beebe and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.

A representative from Arkansas Families First, a coalition opposed to the ballot measure, said the group will monitor the signature verification process and has not ruled out challenging the measure in court.

"This ballot measure goes way too far, and I think that's one of the reasons why they're having trouble getting signatures," said Jennifer Ferguson, legal director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, which is part of the coalition opposed to the ban.

The state Supreme Court in 2006 struck down a state policy that specifically banned gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents. State policy currently bars unmarried couples living together from serving as foster parents.

Support for placing the foster care and adoption restriction on the ballot hasn't matched the enthusiasm the Family Council saw in its campaign to ban gay marriage in the state four years ago. Cox said his group submitted about 200,000 signatures in support of that proposed constitutional amendment, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters.

A group billing itself as Secure Arkansas appeared likely to fall short of its goal to place its immigration measure on November's ballot. Jeannie Burlsworth, the group's chairwoman, told The Associated Press that volunteers were still hoping more signatures would come in the mail Monday. Burlsworth says her group "tried to sweep them in and they're still out there."

Petitions have already been submitted for another high-profile ballot measure - a proposed constitutional amendment creating a state-run lottery to raise money for college scholarships.

For more information see Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.