Prohibiting the secretary from adopting and enforcing policies for placement, custody and appointment of a custodian that may conflict with sincerely held religious or moral beliefs regarding sexual orientation or gender identity and creating a right of action for violations.

HB 2311 prohibits Kansas' Secretary for Children and Families from adopting or enforcing policies that require foster, adoptive, or custodial placements to affirm, accept, or support government policies on sexual orientation or gender identity if it conflicts with a person's sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. It directly affects foster parents, adoptive parents, and custodians who hold such beliefs, protecting them from being denied placement or licensure solely due to those beliefs. The bill creates a legal right for affected individuals to seek actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees if the Secretary violates this provision. Importantly, it does not prevent the Secretary from considering a child's religious background or making placements deemed best for the child.