April 10, 2025 — Timeline — Standing Record

Apr 10

Arkansas Gov. Sanders signed the Keep Kids First Act, letting faith-based foster and adoption agencies refuse LGBTQ prospective parents

On April 10, 2025, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed House Bill 1669, the "Keep Kids First Act" (Act 509 of 2025), barring the state from requiring faith-based adoption and foster-care providers to make placements that conflict with their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. The law also prohibits the state from penalizing a provider for considering prospective parents based on the provider's religious beliefs about sexual orientation or gender identity. In effect, it lets state-contracted agencies decline to place children with same-sex couples and LGBTQ prospective foster and adoptive parents.

Apr 10

ICE terminated student status records of two lawfully enrolled international graduate students at Montana State University

In April 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement terminated the SEVIS student status records of two international graduate students lawfully enrolled at Montana State University, effectively revoking their authorization to remain in the United States without legal basis. The ACLU of Montana filed suit against then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and ICE, challenging the terminations as unlawful. A federal judge issued an emergency order in April 2025 blocking the government from deporting the students; the U.S. government subsequently reinstated their records and changed its policy. The government settled the lawsuit in July 2026, formally committing to protect the students' immigration status.

Apr 10

Kansas Legislature overrode Gov. Kelly's veto to enact HB2311, letting foster caregivers' religious beliefs override placement policy

On April 10, 2025, the Kansas Legislature overrode Governor Laura Kelly's veto to enact HB2311, barring the state's foster-care agency from adopting or enforcing placement policies that conflict with a prospective caregiver's sincerely held religious or moral beliefs about sexual orientation or gender identity. The law creates a private right of action allowing caregivers to sue the Department for Children and Families for damages and attorney fees. The House overrode 87-38 and the Senate 31-9 the same day, with enforcement provisions effective July 1, 2025.

Apr 10

Kentucky enacted HB501, barring Medicaid from covering cross-sex hormones for gender-dysphoria treatment

On April 10, 2025, Kentucky House Bill 501 became law without Gov. Andy Beshear's signature after passing the House 97-0 and the Senate 38-0. The act codified that Kentucky Medicaid may not fund cross-sex hormones when they are prescribed primarily or solely to treat gender dysphoria, singling out transgender-related use for exclusion while allowing the same drugs for other conditions. It refined a companion measure, HB495, that had restricted Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care.