Posted on 05/14/2015 7:43:23 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Legislators in Texas are considering bills that would seek to enforce a ban on gay marriage even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to declare such bans unconstitutional.
Last month, the highest court in the land heard oral arguments in an appeal to determine whether or not state-level bans on gay marriage were constitutional.
Texas representatives have introduced measures, including House Bill 4105, which would bar government funds from being used to support gay marriage.
"State or local funds may not be used for an activity that includes the licensing or support of a same-sex marriage," reads the bill.
"A state or local governmental employee may not recognize, grant, or enforce a same-sex marriage license … State or local funds may not be used to enforce an order requiring the issuance or recognition of a same-sex marriage license."
HB 4105 was introduced by Republican State Representative Cecil Bell and on Tuesday was put on the Texas House's "General State Calendar."
"The leap to assume that Texas moves with (a Supreme Court ruling) is just that — a leap," said Rep. Bell in a statement, as reported by Charisma News.
"History is replete with cases where Supreme Court precedent isn't immediately embraced and in some cases isn't ever embraced."
In 2005, voters in Texas approved Proposition 2, which added an amendment to the state constitution legally defining marriage as being between one man and one woman.
The measure had over 1.7 million votes in favor, totaling 76.25 percent of the ballots cast. Kansas voters passed a similar measure in the same year.
In February 2014, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ruled the Lone Star State's ban unconstitutional. An appealed was made to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and a stay on the decision granted.
On April 28, the Supreme Court heard arguments on an appeal from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding four state-level gay marriage bans.
Most experts believe that the highest court in the nation will narrowly rule that all states must allow same-sex couples to obtain a state marriage license.
Nevertheless, many Republican legislators, elected officials, and presidential hopefuls have proposed ideas to counter a potential Supreme Court ruling against the gay marriage bans. In addition to Texas' proposed legislation, another idea has been to enact an amendment overturning the Court's possible ruling.
Good! Texas doing what is right.
I love that they have the cajones to do this, but the GOP’s candidates had better have answers ready for a rabidly pro-homo press corp. As soon as this law goes into effect, lawsuits will be filed in an effort to overturn it, and the media will be there every step of the way, trumpeting and stirring-up emotion for each new development.
We need our nominee to be able to speak clearly, forcefully, and honestly on this issue. It isn’t going away, no matter what Anthony Kennedy does in June.
Texas takes the lead, AGAIN.
I knew Governor Abbott, who was our State Attorney General before becoming governor, would do something to deter a Supreme Court decision if it tries to strike down states’ rights to determine the definition of marriage.
With Abbott as governor, we spit in the face of Obama. Abbott, in his wheelchair, is larger than life and Obama is an infinitesimal piece of bacteria.
This needs to start a wave of defiance among other states, if TEXAS will just pull this off.
A lesson for private institutions and businesses also, to resist tyrannical regulation that serves to feed only the state.
It is late and the clock is ticking.
That would lead to the National Guard being ordered to enforce the federal law.
Revolution is coming.
Viva Cristo Rey.
Massive Resistance, part two. The first wave should never have been abandoned - let’s hope this one has a better spine!
The Texas Human Rights Campaign is burning up the phone lines with robo calls urging people to call House Speaker Joe Strauss’ office to voice their opposition.
May God bless Texas greatly.
And I think that will NOT go down as well as it did in Arkansas in 1957.
Amen. He is the only King we need.
Before that can happen, all the National Guard are deputized as Texas Rangers.
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