[Newspaper Clipping: Future unclear for anti-gay marriage bill] Part: 1 of 2
1 clipping ; h x w cm.View a full description of this clipping.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Future unclear for anti-gay marriage bill
I BY JUAN B. EUZONDO JR.
Associated Press
More than half of the 149 Texas
House members support a bill
making clear that the state won't
recognize same-sex marriages,
one supporter said Monday, argu-
ing that the bill should get a full
House hearing.
Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arling-
ton, questioned why the bill, ap-
proved by a House committee last
month, hasn't been set for full
House debate. He raised the possi-
bility of attempting a rarely used
procedure that would require the
House to vote on whether to force
the Calendars Committee to
schedule the bill for floor debate
this week.
The legislative session ends
June 2. Deadlines for House de-
bate on bills begin expiring this
week.
Rep. Glen Maxey, D-Austin, said
if the bill makes it to the floor, he
will do everything to stop it.Maxey, the only openly gay Texas.
legislator, on Monday directed his-
staff to come up with 500 amend:
ments to the one-page bill. Other
business would be halted while
the House considered those
amendments.
"This popsicle stand will be
shut down," Maxey said.
Under House rules, bills ap-
proved by committees go to the
Calendars Committee, which
schedules bills for full House
debate.
Rep. Mark Stiles, D-Beaumont,
chairs the committee. He is one of
more than 70 co-sponsors of one
version of the bill that has stalled
in another committee.
The version pending in the Cal-
endars Committee passed the
House Business and Industry
Committee last month. It original-
ly referred to business contracts
but was rewritten to deal with
marriage contracts.
Texas grants marriage licenses
only to couples consisting of aman and a woman. Some state
lawmakers want to make clear
that if any other state grants mar-
riage licenses to gay couples, those.
marriages won't be recognized in
Texas.
Stiles said he has twice tried to
schedule the bill for House debate
but his motions have failed. Stiles
added that even though he sup-
ports the bill, he will fight Grusen-
dorf s effort to force the issue.
"The process has worked fine,"
Stiles said. "It's somebody trying
to make a controversy. There are
a lot of bills that have been (await-
ing House debate) longer." -
The Senate already has passed
its version of the gay-marriage
bill. That bill also is awaiting
House committee action.
"The gay community somehow
has control," said Rep. Warren
Chisum, R-Pampa, sponsor of the
House bill.
. Maxey replied, "The day the gay
community is controlling this
House is the day I'm retiring."
Upcoming Parts
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This clipping can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this part or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current part of this Clipping.
Elizondo Jr., Juan B. [Newspaper Clipping: Future unclear for anti-gay marriage bill], clipping, 1997; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc947636/m1/1/: accessed June 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.