In Separate Decisions, Houston Boy Scouts Leaders & Texas Attorney General Side Against Gay Rights Policies

Video: Houston Boy Scout leaders weigh
in on gay policy (KTRK 13 News)

Emily Ramshaw, Texas Tribune
AUSTIN – The state Constitution prohibits government entities from recognizing domestic partnerships and offering insurance benefits to those couples, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote in an opinion on Monday.

In the nonbinding opinion, Abbott determined that local jurisdictions that offer such benefits “have created and recognized something” — domestic partnerships — “not established by Texas law.”

“A court is likely to conclude that the domestic partnership legal status about which you inquire is ‘similar to marriage’ and therefore barred” by the state Constitution, he wrote.

The opinion was a response to a question asked by Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who had raised concerns about the Pflugerville school district, as well as the cities of El Paso, Austin and Fort Worth, extending such benefits to domestic partners.

“The voters of the state of Texas decided overwhelmingly that marriage is between one man and one woman in 2005,” Patrick said in a statement responding to Abbott’s opinion. “This opinion clearly outlines that cities, counties and school districts cannot subvert the will of Texans.”

Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns released a statement saying he was disappointed in Abbott, but “not surprised that once again he is more interested in dividing Texans for political gain than bringing them together to make Texas stronger.”

“Here in Fort Worth we value every citizen,” Burns said, “which makes every family stronger.”
(Read more of this story in The Texas Tribune)

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• Houston Boy Scouts keep ban on gay membership (Chron.com)
• An NBA Player Comes Out (Sport Illustrated)

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