Seven Anti-LGBT Laws That Remain on Texas Books
Although their efforts have been largely overshadowed by proposed anti-LGBT legislation, Democratic state lawmakers have pre-filed 15 pro-LGBT bills in advance of the 2017 session, according to Equality Texas.
Six of the pro-LGBT measures aim to repeal existing anti-LGBT laws — from the state’s 1973 ban on “homosexual conduct” to its 2005 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Several of the anti-LGBT laws targeted for repeal are unenforceable because they’ve been declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. But others, such as a ban on promoting homosexuality in public schools and a prohibition on consensual sex between gay teens, threaten real-world discriminatory impacts.
Bills to repeal anti-LGBT laws have been introduced in at least the last six biennial legislative sessions, but none has ever passed. Given the makeup of the current Legislature, LGBT advocates say it’s unlikely the repeal proposals will fare any better in 2017.
Read more: https://www.texasobserver.org/seven-anti-lgbt-laws-that-remain-on-texas-books/