TEXAS: Haters Celebrate Houston Ruling

Much praising of God is taking place.

BREAKING: Texas Supreme Court Rules Houston Must Repeal LGBT Rights Law Or Place It To Public Vote In November

Via the Houston Chronicle:

The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that Houston City Council must repeal the city's equal rights ordinance or place it on the November ballot. The ruling comes three months after a state district judge ruled that opponents of Houston's contentious non-discrimination ordinance passed last year failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum. "We agree with the Relators that the City Secretary certified their petition and thereby invoked the City Council's ministerial duty to reconsider and repeal the ordinance or submit it to popular vote," the Texas Supreme Court wrote in a per curiam opinion. "The legislative power reserved to the people of Houston is not being honored." Houston City Council has 30 days to repeal the ordinance or place it on the November ballot.

Stand by for celebrations from the usual haters.

RELATED: LGBT rights laws similar to Houston's already exist in other major Texas municipalities including Austin, Brownsville, Dallas, Dallas County, Fort Worth, El Paso, Plano, San Antonio, Waco, and Walker County.

The Texas Response

"We invite all Texans to join us as we celebrate and fully explain the new Pastor Protection law & discuss the Supreme Court’s marriage decision. We will also talk about the impact of the Court’s decision on religious freedom and free speech & share what YOU can do to make a difference!"

TEXAS: Hate Group Denounces "Frivolous" Lawsuit Filed Against County Clerk

Via press release from Texas Values:

It has come to our attention that a same-sex ‘marriage’ license has been issued in Hood County, Texas. However, we are also aware of false reports that County Clerk Katie Lang “gives in” and did an “about face” and issued and signed the license herself. As seen in the attached link, Deputy County Clerk Kristi Jackson signed the same sex marriage license, not Katie Lang. Our view is that County Clerk Katie Lang has maintained her position regarding her sincerely held religious beliefs as she clearly stated last week, that other staff members in the clerk’s office would issue same sex marriage licenses, which is what happened today. Therefore, the lawsuit filed today by a homosexual couple is frivolous and is simply being maintained to punish Katie Lang for exercising her religious beliefs and to request money for lawyers.

Lang is being defended by the Plano-based Liberty Institute.

TEXAS: Hood County Clerk Caves, Issues Marriage License To Gay Couple, Couple Won't Drop Their Lawsuit

Bloomberg reports:

A gay couple that sued a rural Texas county clerk over a delay in the issuing of a marriage license received the certificate just hours after filing the complaint. Jim Cato and Joe Stapleton say they won’t drop their lawsuit though until the clerk’s office agrees to issue marriage licenses to “all couples, gay and straight, without delay.” They also want their legal fees paid by the county. Cato and Stapleton were repeatedly turned away last week by the clerk’s office in Hood County, about a half-hour southwest of the Fort Worth federal courthouse where they sued Monday. They said they were told it would take “at least three weeks,” because the county needed to have paperwork reprinted in a gender-neutral fashion.

The men said they have been “waiting over 27 years to marry” and were “humiliated” by county employees’ refusal. Katie Lang, the county clerk, had said she won’t personally issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because it violates her religious beliefs. She said someone else in her office would do so as soon as proper forms are supplied, according to a statement on the county clerk’s website. The couple’s lawyer said he provided the clerk with copies of corrected state marriage-license applications from the state’s website. They were told a different form was still needed, according to the complaint.

Today's marriage license was hand-written.

RELATED: Last week Texas Values and local haters rallied in support of the clerk.

TEXAS: Haters Rally For County Clerk Who Won't Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Texas Hate Group Warns County Clerk: Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses Will Be A Criminal Act

Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz has sent a letter to Dallas County Clerk John Warren, warning that no matter how the Supreme Court rules, issuing a same-sex marriage license will be a criminal act. Hit the link and read the letter. (Tipped by JMG reader Rob)

TEXAS: Gov. Greg Abbott Rejects Special Session To Continue Marriage Battle

Via San Antonio's WOAI:

Social conservative groups, including the Texas Eagle Forum, Texas Values, and a group called Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, specifically want Abbott to recall lawmakers to consider a bill that would prohibit county clerks from issuing same sex marriage licenses. A 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case, Harris v. McRae, held that states cannot be required to spend state money enforcing a federal mandate, in that case abortion. But Abbott says it won't happen. "I do not anticipate any special session," he told News Radio 1200 WOAI. "They got their job done on time, and don't require any overtime." Under Texas law, only the governor can call the Legislature into special session, and only to discuss the items the governor specifically places on the agenda.

Jonathan Saenz will be ever so pissed.

TEXAS: Hate Group Has The 2015 Sadz

"Important stand-alone bills protecting state sovereignty over marriage (HB 4105 by Rep. Cecil Bell, Jr.) and protecting religious freedom of child welfare providers and adoption agencies (HOME Bill, HB 3864 by Rep. Scott Sanford) were never taken up for votes in the Texas House, despite overwhelming support among members. Had these bills been scheduled for votes by the leadership of the Texas House in a timely manner, we are certain they would have passed despite overwhelming opposition from Democrats and LGBT advocacy groups. Because the original bills were not given a floor vote, the final opportunities for success came in the form of amendments to other bills in the last days of the session. Unfortunately, with anti-religious freedom Democrats determined to kill entire bills just to stop important religious freedom and marriage language, tight deadlines and a lack of prioritization effectively killed the bills." - Texas Values, lamenting that over 20 anti-LGBT bills failed to pass in the current session. On Monday the state legislature adjourned until 2017.

Jonathan Saenz Has The Texas Sadz

Nearly two dozen anti-LGBT bills failed in the Texas legislature in recent months. Now that the hate clock has run out, Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz is blaming the Texas Chamber of Commerce, which came out against several of the bills.

TEXAS: GOP Effort To Defy SCOTUS On Gay Marriage Dies For Current Session

Via the Associated Press:

Divisive efforts by Texas Republicans to defy the U.S. Supreme Court if same-sex marriage is legalized ended Wednesday night with conservative finger-pointing and opponents feeling relieved. The first session under Republican Gov. Greg Abbott will end next week without a measure that gay rights activists considered one of the harshest in any U.S. statehouse: restrictions that would prohibit government officials from giving marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The Senate deadline for passing bills was midnight Wednesday. But with less than four hours to go — likely enough time for Democrats to run out the clock if the bill came up — the proposal was dropped. Republicans instead only passed a resolution that reaffirmed their belief of marriage being between a man and a woman. "Good legislation was sacrificed, but appropriately so to see this language fail," said Democratic state Rep. Garnet Coleman, whose unrelated bill was used by the Senate to carry the marriage-license amendment. "It is offensive to my constituents, it's offensive to me, and it's offensive to our constitution."

Texas Values has the sadz.

TEXAS: Hate Group Celebrates Democrat Who Revived "Defy SCOTUS" Bill

Earlier today Texas state Rep. Cecil Bell's bill to super-triple-extra ban same-sex marriage was revived when it was attached as an amendment by Democratic state Sen. Eddie Lucio. Texas Values is so pleased that they've photoshopped Lucio into the photo of Bell cutting the "celebration" cake marking the tenth anniversary of the Texas ban on same-sex marriage. That anniversary doesn't actually occur until late this year, but Texas Values figured they'd celebrate before SCOTUS hands down its ruling. Not incidentally, Lucio's Wikipedia entry reads very much like he wrote it himself.

TEXAS: Bill To Defy SCOTUS On Marriage Sees New Life As Senate Amendment

Texas state Rep. Cecil Bell has followed through on his promise to attach his previously failed House bill as an amendment to a Senate bill. The deadline for new House bills passed last week before the chamber could get to Bell's item. HB2977 authorizes certain fees for Texas counties and presumably that was "germane" enough to gain today's committee approval. I'll post the live-stream of the proceedings tomorrow.

Jonathan Saenz: People Have Moved To Texas Because It Bans Gay Marriage

Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz (above left) is ever so pissed that major corporations have come out in favor of same-sex marriage. Don't they know that people have moved to Texas because of its wonderful anti-gay laws?

TOMORROW: Texas House To Vote On Bill To Super Extra Ban Gay Marriage

Texas already bans same-sex marriage by statute and in its state constitution. Tomorrow the Texas House will vote on triple-extra-super banning it.

House Bill 4105 would prohibit state or local tax money from being spent to “issue, enforce or recognize” a same-sex marriage. It also would ban any government employee in Texas from issuing a same-sex marriage license or recognizing such a marriage legally performed in another state. State agencies and county officials also would be barred from spending money to enforce a court order requiring gay marriage. Opponents have questioned the proposed law’s constitutionality and say its passage would allow state-sanctioned discrimination, destroying Texas’ reputation as an open and welcoming site for businesses looking to expand or relocate. The bill’s Republican author, Rep. Cecil Bell of Magnolia, has said the change is needed to counter a wave of federal court rulings that have redefined traditional marriage, leaving Texas among only 13 states where marriage is limited to opposite-sex couples.

Over half of the 150-member Texas House have signed on as co-sponsors of Bell's bill. As Matt Baume noted in today's installment of Marriage News Watch, should the bill be enacted it could mean that marriages would be tied up in lengthy court battles no matter how the Supreme Court rules.

LIVE VIDEO: Texas Senate State Affairs Panel Hears Anti-Gay Marriage Bill

The Texas Senate State Affairs Committee has just begun debate on SB2065.

Sec. 2.601. RIGHTS OF CERTAIN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. A religious organization, an organization supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, an individual employed by a religious organization while acting in the scope of that employment, or a clergy or minister may not be required to solemnize any marriage, provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage, or treat any marriage as valid for any purpose if the action would cause the organization or individual to violate a sincerely held religious belief.

Sec. 2.602. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION PROHIBITED. A refusal to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges under Section 2.601 is not the basis for a civil or criminal cause of action or any other action by this state or a political subdivision of this state to penalize or withhold benefits or privileges, including tax exemptions or governmental contracts, grants, or licenses, from any protected organization or individual.

Watch it live here.

Hate Group Nutjobs Deliver "Restraining Orders" To The Supreme Court

On the scene are Scott Lively, Janet Porter, "ex-gay" activist Greg Quinlan, and a flotilla of crackpots from Texas Values. Whatever is in those boxes will doubtlessly soon end up in a federal shredder.

Texas Values Has The Houston Sadz

"This result is evidence that the city government has made a mess of this issue and they have made the community more divided. Despite today's ruling, we stand united with the people of Houston against this divisive and oppressive ordinance. It's been clear throughout this lengthy process that Mayor Parker will go to any length to shut the people of Houston out of this process and force residents to accept this LGBT special rights law against their will. Houstonians should be the ones to decide this issue, and we believe Texas' appellate courts will ultimately preserve the voting rights of the people. When the people finally get their say, this ordinance will be voted down." - Jonathan Saenz, head of Texas Values.

HOUSTON: LGBT Rights Bill Will Stand

Via the Houston Chronicle:

Opponents of Houston's non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials' decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer. After separate rulings from both a jury and state District Judge Robert Schaffer, attorneys for both sides entered dueling counts of the valid signatures, adding and subtracting voters as Schaffer responded to motions. By early this week, the counts were closer together than ever before, fewer than 1,000 signatures apart. Ultimately, Schaffer on Friday ruled the final count of valid signatures was 16,684, leaving opponents short of the threshold required in the city charter of 17,249 signatures, or 10 percent of the ballots cast in the last mayoral election.

"The jury's verdict and the judge's ruling are a powerful smack-down against the forces of discrimination and intolerance," said Geoffrey Harrison, lead attorney for the city, in a statement. "And maybe, just maybe, they'll reconsider their misguided ways." The law, on hold during trial, is now in effect, according to a city spokeswoman. Mayor Annise Parker released a statement celebrating the verdict. "I would hope that the plaintiffs would not appeal, they lost during a jury trial and today they also lost with the judge's ruling," Parker said. "Now all Houstonians have access to the same protections." But opponents, largely conservative activists and pastors whose objections center on the protections the law extends to gay and transgender residents, say they will appeal the decision. Andy Taylor, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he remains confident they will ultimately take the law to voters.

Stand by for some epic sadz! Read the ruling.

TEXAS: Bill To Ban Same-Sex Marriage Sees Resistance From House Committee

Late last night a committee of the Texas House took public comments about  Rep Cecil Bell's bill that would forbid county clerks from issuing any marriage licenses, putting that duty in the sole hands of the secretary of state. The bill further bans the issuing of same-sex marriage licenses by any state employee, no matter how the Supreme Court might rule. As those of you here witnessed via the live-stream, there were some beautiful, moving testimonies from the parents of gay children as well as the usual illogical bleating from representatives of hate groups.

Members of the committee grilled Bell at some length about the financial aspects of the bill, which would cost the state an estimated $1.6M in the first year and $1M annually thereafter. Via the Texas Tribune:

The bill’s pricey fiscal note, prepared by the Legislative Budget Board, includes salaries for 18 full-time employees who would be required to issue marriage licenses. Texas counties issued 185,510 marriage license applications and declarations of informal marriage in 2013. No vote on the bill was taken, and Bell told the committee he intended to present a revised version that will address the fiscal impact. Geren said he would also like Bell to address the local impact on individual counties. "The fiscal note says there's no local impact. My [county clerk] disagrees with that, and I think the testimony here shows several clerks disagree with that," Geren told Bell. "I think there is a local impact in the millions of dollars, and I don't know how we address that, but I hope that you will in the substitute that you're working on. Turner seemed less interested in considering Bell’s bill substitute, saying the measure would create “chaos and confusion.” When Bell reiterated he would present a bill substitute, Turner responded, “I don’t care how much lipstick you put on it.”

Bell has introduced three other anti-gay bills and those have not yet been heard. Only four Democrats sit on the 12-member House State Affairs Committee. Same-sex marriage is already banned by Texas statute and by the state constitution, so Bell's action represents a triple ban.