Reps. Rafael Anchia & Garnet Coleman File Bills to Repeal Texas Gay Marriage Ban

Yesterday in the Texas House, Democratic Representatives Rafael Anchia and Garnet Coleman filed twin resolutions, HJR 77 and 78 which propose "a constitutional amendment to repeal the constitutional provision providing that marriage in this state consists only of the union of one man and one woman and prohibiting this state or a political subdivision of this state from creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

If passed by a 2/3rds majority of both the House and Senate, it would put the question on the November 2013 constitutional amendment ballot to effectively repeal HJR 6 aka Prop 2 from the 2005 legislation session which passed by a 76-24 margin by Texas voters in the fall of 2005.

"In 2005, most Texans did not support any form of legal recognition for lesbian and gay couples. But, public opinion has changed greatly in the last eight years, both across the country and right here in Texas," said Representative Coleman, who has championed a repeal in multiple legislative sessions. "Two-thirds of Texas' voters now believe the state should allow some form of legal recognition for committed same-gender couples," Coleman said.

While a majority of Texans still oppose marriage equality, an October, 2012 University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll reported that 36 percent of Texas voters surveyed would support allowing lesbian & gay couples to marry, while another 33 percent would allow civil unions but not marriage. Only 25 percent of Texas voters said that same-gender couples should neither be allowed to marry nor enter into a civil union.

More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/ .

[font color=green]I'm all for the repeal, but getting the Legislature to allow us to make that choice isn't going to happen with the current crew of elected officials. [/font]