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Jessica Barrow of Sterling Heights, right, testifies before the House Committee on Families, Children and Seniors on February 18, 2015.

(House TV | Screenshot)

LANSING, MI -- The ongoing debate between religious freedom and gay rights continues to play out in the Michigan Legislature.

The House Committee on Families, Children and Seniors on Wednesday took testimony on a three-bill package that would formally allow adoption agencies to decline services on moral or religious grounds -- but require them to refer prospective parents elsewhere.

State Rep. Andrea LaFontaine, a Richmond Republican who sponsored one of the bills, told committee members that the legislation would codify existing state policy and ensure continued diversity amongst adoption placement agencies.

"This bill package will allow private agencies to continue to operate without violating their moral or religious beliefs and without the fear of losing their license, the cancellation of contracts or decreases in funding," said LaFontaine, who had her forehead marked with a cross for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Western Christian tradition.

But critics argued that the legislation would allow agencies that receive state funding for adoption services to discriminate against prospective parents because of their sexual orientation, marital status or even religion.

"Religious freedom means the freedom to exercise your individual religious beliefs, it does not mean the ability to impose your beliefs on others," said Brooke Tucker, an attorney with the ACLU of Michigan. "Nor does it require the state to finance discrimination against those who do not share your beliefs."

Similar legislation has prompted similar debates in recent years. Michigan's Republican-led House approved "conscience clause" adoption bills in December, but the Senate did not put them up for a vote before the two-year session ended.

The reintroduced package would prohibit the state from taking "adverse action" against an agency that declines to perform an adoption on religious grounds. They would be required to refer prospective parents to a different agency.

Jose Carrera, director of clinical services for St. Vincent Catholic Charities in Lansing, testified in support for the legislation.

"It is imperative for an ethical organization to be able to recuse itself whenever there is a potential conflict of interest," he told lawmakers, "and these bills would allow St. Vincent Catholic Charities to do just that."

Advocates said that denial at one agency does not prohibit prospective parents from finalizing an adoption at another. There are 17-faith based agencies in Michigan, according to testimony from the Michigan Catholic Conference, while about 35 others are not affiliated with any religious tradition.

"When somebody calls in with interest to become a foster parent or adoptive parent... if they let us know they're unmarried, or if they're gay or lesbian, we immediately make a referral to another agency," said Carrera. "We give them information about other agencies in our community."

State Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon, said she does not believe there are any non-religious adoption agencies in her district and questioned whether the policy is in the best interest of children seeking homes.

Jessica Barrow of Sterling Heights, a foster mother who is in the process of adopting a daughter who came from an abusive home, said she and her lesbian partner spent six months researching which adoption agency might accept them.

"Why did we have to go through a list and say this agency is Catholic, we're not even going to try there? Why did it take us so long? What makes our family not worthy? Why do you think we aren't able to be committed, nurturing, loving and provide a permanent home? That's what these agencies are saying they want."

The committee adjourned Wednesday without voting on the bills.

Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter for MLive Media Group. Email him, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.