HOUSTON: Judge Orders City To Halt Benefits For Spouses Of LGBT Employees

Via John Wright at Lone Star Q:

A state district judge in Houston has ordered the city to stop providing benefits to the same-sex spouses of employees, but city officials say the decision will have no impact because a federal judge has already ruled that the benefits must remain in place. State District Judge Lisa Millard issued a temporary restraining order halting the benefits Wednesday in response to a request from former Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill, who has filed a second lawsuit against Mayor Annise Parker and the city over her decision to extend benefits to same-sex spouses. In August, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake ordered the city to continue offering the benefits pending a final determination on the constitutionality of Texas’ same-sex marriage ban, likely to come from the U.S. Supreme Court.

The same judge issued a similar order last December. Woodfill is one of the asshats behind the lawsuit to repeal Houston's LGBT rights ordinance, which is a separate issue.