GROUPS HAIL FAILURE OF TEXAS HOUSE TO PASS MARRIAGE DISCRIMINATION BILL

Posted on May 14, 2015 at 11:09 pm

PRESS RELEASE FROM:

American Civil Liberties Union of Texas

Equality Texas

Texas Freedom Network

Human Rights Campaign

GROUPS HAIL FAILURE OF TEXAS HOUSE TO PASS MARRIAGE DISCRIMINATION BILL

Clock Runs Out on HB 4105, But Discrimination Measures Still a Danger Until End of Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2015

CONTACTS:

Dan Quinn, TFN, dan@tfn.org, 512.322.0545 (office), 512.799.3379 (mobile)

Anna Núñez, ACLU of Texas, media@aclutx.org, 713.942.8146, Ext. 110

Chuck Smith, Equality Texas, chuck@equalitytexas.org, 512-474-5475 x1

Stephen Peters, HRC, stephen.peters@hrc.org, 202-423-2860

Civil liberties and LGBT rights groups tonight are hailing the failure by the Texas House of Representatives to pass HB 4105, which would bar the state from granting, enforcing or recognizing marriage licenses for same-sex couples even if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down state bans on such marriages as unconstitutional. A growing number of major Texas-based companies, including Dell in Round Rock and Celanese in Irving, have come out publicly against the bill this week. Emails and calls have also flooded legislative offices in opposition to the bill. Moreover, House opponents successfully managed the bill schedule to keep HB 4105 from coming up for a vote. Following are statements from the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Equality Texas, Texas Freedom Network and the Human Rights Campaign.

Terri Burke, executive director, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas

“HB 4105 would have accomplished nothing constructive. That this hateful, retrograde legislation has failed is an encouraging reflection that most Texans value equality.”

Chuck Smith, executive director, Equality Texas

“Thanks to the leadership of our allies in the Texas House, the clock ran out on HB 4105 at midnight. Unfortunately for LGBT Texans, there are still 17 days remaining in the legislative session – 17 days during which homophobic and transphobic lawmakers will continue to look for amendment opportunities to inflict discrimination. We must continue to fight their efforts to defy the Supreme Court and to deny equality to LGBT Texans – through the end of the legislative session and beyond.”

Kathy Miller, president, Texas Freedom Network

“We hope today’s action means the death of this irresponsible bill and are grateful to all of the legislators who have worked hard to ensure that it never gets out of the House. This was just one bill among many in a broad strategy to lock in discrimination against gay and transgender Texans and subvert a Supreme Court ruling on the freedom to marry. Bad actors will continue to push their discrimination legislation, including as amendments to other bills, until the final gavel. So we’re not letting our guard down now.”

Marty Rouse, national field director, Human Rights Campaign

“As a deplorable last-ditch effort to try to stop marriage equality from reaching the state if the Supreme Court rules in favor of equality this summer, this destructive and divisive bill would have sent the wrong message about the future of the Lone Star State and the ability of all Texans to live and thrive there. We urge lawmakers to ensure neither this bill nor the more than twenty other pieces of discriminatory legislation targeting LGBT Texans and their families move any further.”

ACLU of Texas (aclutx.org) is a guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, the Legislature and Texas communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all in the Bill of Rights of our Constitution.

Equality Texas (equalitytexas.org) works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.

The Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization of religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties and public schools.

The Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.