TEXAS: Legislature Adjourns Until 2017

LGBT groups are spiking the ball.

A fringe element in the Legislature certainly had its sights set squarely on the LGBT community this session. But we are very happy, after more than 10,000 office visits in the Pink Dome by Equality Texas staff, that all these blatantly discriminatory bills failed to pass. We’re also happy that we were actually able to make progress on positive legislation that would help LGBT Texans and their families. Looking forward, we still have a long way to go toward full equality for our community in Texas. But we have laid the groundwork to move forward on protecting LGBT Texans and their loved ones from discrimination in the state they call home.

Texas legislators filed at least 23 bills promoting and in some cases requiring discrimination against LGBT people and their families. The bills included measures that would have allowed the use of religion to discriminate, subverted a potential U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, swept away local anti-discrimination protections, and turned transgender people into criminals for using public restrooms. Supporters used public hearings for those bills to promote offensive scare stories and vicious rhetoric attacking LGBT people, including comparing same-sex marriage to bestiality and pedophilia. But lawmakers sent to the governor only one watered-down bill.

Porno Pete is tweeting the sadz: "In TX, there is a push for Gov Abbott to call a special session to pass legis. blocking potential #SCOTUS on nationalizing homo'l 'marriage.' But Gov. Abbott is resisting...in other words even #Texas is likely to roll over to a #SCOTUS ruling imposing nationalized 'gay marriage'." (Tipped by JMG reader Mike)