The Alabama House passed a bill Thursday that would protect faith-based adoption and foster care agencies from placing children into homes that go against their religious beliefs.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa, was among a package of pro-life legislation considered Thursday in the House. It passed 60-14 with one abstention.

Wingo said he was inspired to author the bill because other states - Massachusetts, Illinois, California, and the District of Columbia - force foster and adoption agencies from placing children into homes that violate their faith.

"A number of those faith-based agencies have closed their doors," he said.

Wingo said Alabama doesn't have such issues.

"I'd like to think that we're being proactive instead of being reactive," he said.

Among the Democrats voicing opposition to the bill was Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, who is openly gay and said the legislation is "a direct attack against my community." Todd said she was concerned that the legislation would allow faith-based agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples.

"What your vote says to me - if you vote for this bill - is that Patricia Todd is not qualified to be a fit parent," she said. An agency's basis for denial is "based on the fact that I love a woman, and it's not based on what is the best placement for the child," Todd said.

"You know that's not the intent" of the bill. Wingo responded. "It's to protect faith-based agencies."

Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Mobile, said he believed there was no justification for the bill.

"I don't think we have a problem that we're even addressing because I think we don't have a problem here," he said.