This session, gay-bashing bills pose their most serious threat to gay rights in some years, with TX DOMA — the state’s “Defense of Marriage Act” — leading the pack. Here’s a selection of the good and the bad:
Bad Bills
SB 7: Former social moderate Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, filed the DOMA bill that would withhold state recognition of “civil unions” approved in any other state. It sailed through the Senate earlier this month and is expected to enjoy the same success in the House, possibly this week. (Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, filed HB 38, the House companion.)
HB 1911: Pasadena Rep. Robert Talton defended his anti-gay foster-parent bill at a public hearing of State Affairs, where it remains pending.
HB 194: Same as above, except this Talton bill would be retroactive. (Pending in Juvenile Justice and Family Issues.)
HB 916: Filed by Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, it would ban adoptions by more than one person of the same sex. (Juvenile Justice and Family Issues.)
Good Bills
SB 438: Sen. Jon Lindsay, R-Houston, filed this Harm Reduction Bill to legalize needle-exchange programs as a means of curbing the transmission of communicable diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Approved by Health and Human Services Committee. Austin Rep. Eddie Rodriguez filed the companion, HB 1074.
HB 810: Rodriguez filed this bill protecting state employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identification (State Affairs).
HB 574: Nondiscrimination bill pertaining to private employers. Houston Reps. Garnet Coleman and Jessica Farrar teamed on this bill (Business and Industry).
HB 862: The Dignity for All Students Act is a Coleman-Farrar effort to ensure the safety and well-being of gay students (Public Education).
See the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas Web site ( www.lgrl.org) and the Texas Legislature online ( www.capitol.state.tx.us) for daily updates.
This article appears in May 2 • 2003.
