A bill advancing through the Alabama Senate would allow religious adoption agencies to turn away gay couples.

The Senate Health Committee’s bill would include agencies that care for state foster children.

It voted 6 to 1 for legislation that would stop the state from working with adoption agencies that refuse services to people on religious grounds.

A similar bill has been passed in the House.

Senator Bill Hightower said his bill would protect almost a third of adoption agencies that are faith-based, and he said the bill would help state foster children.

"We want to make sure that channel is open," Mr Hightower said. ”All I'm trying to do is ensure that the [Department of Human Resources] does not discriminate against faith-based organisations in the placement of children."

Critics said it would give these agencies state permission and taxpayer finding to discriminate against gay couples who want to adopt.

"These children need and deserve every chance to be placed into a loving home," said Denise Brogan-Kator of the Family Equality Council.

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A similar bill has been passed this week in South Dakota, with lawmakers arguing they want to protect religious-based groups from discrimination.

"All you have to do is look around the country and you see faith-based institutions being attacked everywhere you turn and this is a pre-emptive move," Republican Senator Phil Jensen said to KSFY.

Human Rights Campaign legal director Sarah Warbelow said the bill was a "licence to discriminate".

"Taxpayer money should never be used by state-funded adoption agencies to discriminate against prospective parents based on factors that have nothing to do with good parenting," she said. "This measure could have consequences not just for LGBTQ couples, but for single people, divorced people, or even those of a different faith."

HRC research also shows that LGBT youth are discriminated against, and many have been rejected by their families or origin because of their sexuality.

The group has found that there are more than 70 anti-LGBTQ proposals in 24 states.