The Texas Senate adjourned today without taking up SB 723, the bill by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, that could prevent transgender people from marrying people of the opposite sex in Texas.
SB 723, apparently prompted by the Nikki Araguz case, would remove a “court order of sex change” from the list of identifying documents that can be used to obtain marriage licenses in Texas. And while transgender people could still theoretically use their driver’s licenses to obtain marriage licenses, advocates say the “legislative intent” of Williams’ bill would allow courts to declare those marriages invalid. Moreover, they say the bill could effectively lead to the state refusing to recognize the existence of transgender people for any purpose.
“If SB 723 gets a favorable vote it will enshrine Littleton vs Prange (1999) logic — you are what the doctor put on your birth certificate — into Texas State law,” writes Meghan Stabler, a transgender woman from Round Rock who serves on the Board of Directors for the Human Rights Campaign. “This will lay the foundation for the State of Texas to cease to recognize the transitioned status of transgender people.”
The bill was on the Senate’s intent calendar for today, meaning it could have come up for a vote if two-thirds of the Senate agreed to consider it. While the Senate didn’t get to the bill today, it remains on the intent calendar, and advocates are continuing to ask people to call Democratic senators and ask them to vote against SB 723. Republicans are one vote short of a two-thirds majority in the Senate, meaning if no Democrats vote to take up the bill it will die.
Contact info for Democratic senators is after the jump.
Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us
Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
Royce West (512) 463-0123
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us
Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us
José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us
This is hilarious. So, if this law is passed, then a man can get a sex change to become a woman, but then marry another woman, since he’s officially a man based on his birth certificate. But in reality, it would be two women getting married….a lesbian couple legally married in Texas. WTF are these people thinking?
It just never stops here in Texas. SB723 was placed on the intent calendar down in Austin today. Oh joy, the transphobic are lining up. I looked over the proposed bill, and it is to much. I was born outside of Texas, when I complete my SRS the office of vital statistics of my birth state will change their designation of my natal sex and then forever seal the records. So, then as an MtF I can legally marry a male in Texas but an MtF born in Texas cannot? Right, I almost forgot, this is equality under the law in Texas.
So Stabler wants this bill to pass but he did exactly what his birth certificate said MALE. He married as a male when it suited him. Why did he have to do that and not wait until the passing of the bill (if it happens) and marry as the gender he has transitioned into????? Hypocritical I think??