SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - San Francisco has banned city employees from coming to South Dakota in an official capacity because of the recently passed law allowing faith based adoption agencies to refuse to place children in any arrangement at odds with its religious beliefs.
Governor Dennis Daugaard, who signed the bill, says that position is a concern. Daugaard says it's important that South Dakota is viewed as a good destination for business and tourists. He says anytime someone decides that it's not, for whatever reason, "that's something we should be concerned about."
Daugaard says there's some misunderstanding of the law. He says the effect of the law has been blown out of proportion. He says it has no direct impact on how state government does business.
He says "we don't discriminate in our placement, when we work in adoption or foster care. The state funds any contracts that it has with federal dollars which prohibit any discrimination."
The Governor says anyone seeking to adopt will be served. Under the law that was passed, if someone is denied, for religious reasons or sincerely held religious beliefs, that denying agency must provide referral to another agency that will provide the service.
He says it might provide some inconvenience to the person who is denied, but it will not deny the availability of the service.
It appears likely the State of California will also prohibit official travel to South Dakota because of the law.