In the event that the Supreme Court strikes down state bans on same-sex marriage, the Texas House of Representatives has taken the preemptive step of prohibiting any government official in the state from recognizing or granting same-sex marriage licenses.
It's states' rights.
“We as Texans have a sovereign right to define and regulate marriage,” Republican state Rep. Cecil Bell, the author of the bill, told TPM on Tuesday. “I don’t believe that this bill puts anyone in a lesser position than what they were in before. What this does is codify Texas law.”
Texas has a right to define and regulate marriage unless, of course, it doesn't. If the Supreme Court rules against same-sex marriage bans, there's nothing the state of Texas can do that won't be struck down immediately by the very first lower court that catches a whiff of it.
Meanwhile, If you're looking for a toilet to flush taxpayer money down, lawmakers have a bill for you. The Texas House is also considering a bill that would protect the welfare of welfare providers.
WASHINGTON -- Texas House lawmakers are expected to consider a measure as early as Wednesday that could be used to protect child welfare service providers who want to force kids into discredited gay conversion therapy programs. The bill also protects providers who deny minors access to birth control or abortions.
The bill, co-authored by nine Republicans, aims to protect child welfare service providers who get taxpayer dollars from losing government funding or benefits if they take actions motivated by religious beliefs. This covers providers who offer counseling, assistance to abused children, and foster and adoption services.
I do wonder if this bill is intended to protect other religious welfare service providers who aren't Christian.
Little did we suspect that it would be the Texas House of Representatives who finally recognize Sharia law.