Fort Worth, which was the first city in Texas to achieve of score of 100 has dropped to 97. The city can appeal and suggest upgrades in several places now that it can see exactly where it fell.
Four Texas cities did receive the top score: Dallas, Arlington, Austin and San Antonio. And Denton scored a very respectable 94.
Cities are scored in five categories — Non-discrimination laws, Municipality as employer, Municipal services, Law enforcement and Leadership in LGBTQ equality. Texas cities don’t receive any points for state protections but can make up those points with municipal ordinances. Houston scores an 83 mostly because it has no non-discrimination ordinances at all.
More Dallas suburbs are participating in the MEI. Here’s how they did:
Garland – 34
Grand Prairie – 48
Irving – 71
McKinney – 46
Mesquite – 54
Plano – 49
Amarillo, the city that would like to outlaw using its streets by pregnant women traveling to another state to receive an abortion, scored 56. Elsewhere in West Texas, Lubbock scored a 48 and El Paso a 69.
While Austin earned a top score, its largest suburb and only suburban city to participate, Round Rock, was given a 33.
For more information go to this year’s MEI.
— David Taffet