Oklahoma enacted HB 1821, barring joint adoption by same-sex couples and blocking recognition of their out-of-state adoptions
On May 3, 2004, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed HB 1821, amending the state's Adoption Code to prohibit joint or second-parent adoption by more than one individual of the same sex and to require registration and judicial review of out-of-state adoption decrees, effectively barring Oklahoma from recognizing same-sex couple adoptions granted in other states. The bill passed the Oklahoma House 94-0 and the Oklahoma Senate 44-0 before reaching the governor, and took immediate effect under an emergency clause.