Texas Senators Just Spent Hours Passing A Resolution Reaffirming Their Hatred Of Same-Sex Marriage

Texas Senators, angered they would not be able to usher any of their 20-plus anti-gay bills into law, threw a temper tantrum Wednesday night.

The Texas state legislature meets once every two years for 140 days. When their time is up, it’s up, and so lawmakers scramble at the last minute to try to pass as many bills as they can that they know will become law. 

This year, fearing a likely Supreme Court ruling in support of same-sex marriage, Texas lawmakers worked extra hard to draft, debate, lobby for, and pass almost two dozen bills aimed at harming the LGBT community. From “religious freedom” bills to adoption curtailment to protecting “ex-gay therapy,” to actually defunding same-sex marriage in the Lone Star State, Texas lawmakers earned their reputation as among America’s most anti-gay elected officials.

But a bill cannot become a law unless both the House and the Senate pass it, so lawmakers have been scrambling to coordinate which bills they could get through their respective houses. In the end, the twenty-plus anti-gay bills died.

But Texas Senators last night chose to ignore the horrific flooding that’s taken at least 20 lives, chose to ignore their state’s dismal record on child homelessness (Texas ranks 39th, with 50 being the worst), chose to ignore its high percentage of children in poverty, chose to ignore its high percentage of child food insecurity.

Instead, led by the Texas Senate GOP caucus, working late into the night the Texas Senate debated and passed a non-binding resolution attacking same-sex marriage. All 20 Republicans, and one Democrat, voted in favor of the SR1028, which passed 21-10. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick heralded the move.

Same-sex marriage of course is prohibited by the Texas state constitution, but next month’s Supreme Court ruling may very well strike that unconstitutional law down. 

Of course, in his complete and utter ignorance and arrogance, two weeks ago on CNN Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton refused to say if Texas will obey a Supreme Court ruling supporting marriage equality.

“We affirm the preservation of the present definition of marriage as being a legal union of one man and one woman as a husband and wife, and pledge to uphold and defend this principle that is so dearly held by Texans far and wide,” the resolution reads. 

“Here we are again, discriminating against gay people,” Democratic State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who has a lesbian daughter, said, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The Texas Senate Republican Caucus couldn’t wait to trumpet their “victory,” and immediately sent out this tweet:

But others were appalled, and said so on Twitter:

 

Related:

Anti-Gay State Rep. Cecil Bell Thinks Texas Sovereignty Is A Thing, Totally Trumps Federal Law

David Pakman: Anti-Gay Activist Admits Her Testimony To Texas Senate Was ‘A Lie’ (Video)

TX Reps To Vote On Bill Shielding Religious Service Providers Who Put Kids Into ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy