The Arizona Republic reports:

Married couples will have preference when it comes to adopting children under a new measure signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer on Monday.Senate Bill 1188, which was sponsored by Sen. Linda Gray, R-Glendale, would require an adoption agency to give primary consideration to adoptive placement with a married man and woman, with all other criteria being equal.

The bill applies to both state and private adoption agencies. Previously, only Utah has a law requiring priority for married couples, though several other states have bans on adoptions by same-sex couples or by unmarried couples.

... Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, and a strong advocated of SB 1188 said Monday that the bill was among those that dealt with "critical issues of life, marriage and religious liberty," and said she was "grateful" for the governor's support.

The Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, which works to "strengthen marriage for a new generation" (and has our own Maggie Gallagher as its President) has similar model legislation available for other state legislatures interested in pursuing marital preference policy in adoption regs.