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Robert Powell, III// October 10, 2014//
The Virginia Department of Social Services released a bulletin on Friday informing local social services divisions that adoption by same-sex spouses is now legal in the commonwealth.
“Now that same-sex marriage in Virginia is officially legal, we owe it to all Virginians to ensure that every couple is treated equally under all of our laws, no matter whom they love,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a statement.
Virginia law states that a “married couple or an unmarried individual shall be eligible to receive placement of a child for purposes of adoption.”
The bulletin says that when determining the appropriateness of a foster or adoptive home, “Virginia, in response to the Fourth Circuit ruling, now recognizes any legally-performed marriage (same-sex or opposite-sex), whether performed in Virginia or another state. This ruling does not confer legal status to civil unions or domestic partnerships. Any married couple is a married couple for purposes of adoptive placements.”
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