A Texas state representative on Monday
introduced a bill which seeks to legalize gay marriage in the Lone
Star state.
Lon Burnam, a Democrat from Fort Worth,
cited last week's Supreme Court ruling striking down the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA) in announcing the move.
The Supreme Court found that “the
federal government acted to 'impose a disadvantage, a separate
status, and so a stigma upon all who enter into same-sex marriages,'”
Burnam said in a statement. “I can assure you the Texas
Legislature did the same. As such, it is time to renounce our
homophobic state laws and usher in marriage equality in Texas.”
According to The
Horn, Burnam filed an identical bill which did not receive a
hearing during the regular session
“It is the shame of our state that we
continually have to wait for a federal judge to make us do the right
thing,” he added. “It happened with segregated schools,
segregated parks and segregated housing. Let's not let it happen
with segregated marriage rights.”
Republicans control all three branches
of government in Texas.