Nearly five years after former Mayor Annise Parker offered same-sex benefits to city employees, Houston is handed another legal setback in defending the policy.
A federal judge rejected an attempt by the city of Houston to move the case to another venue. The case will now be remanded to state court, and the city will have to pay the legal fees of the two men who sued to overturn the policy.
“There was already victory at state court, then it went to the Texas Supreme Court and Houston taxpayers won, then the city of Houston appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and that didn't work,” says Jonathan Saenz at Texas Values.
“It's utterly irresponsible the city of Houston continues to violate the law on this issue and spend thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars on a legal matter they keep losing.”
The move comes three years after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide.
“Even though the Supreme Court ruled on the issue of same-sex marriage, they did not rule the government is forced to use tax dollars to subsidize and pay for same-sex benefits.”
Saenz argues Mayor Parker illegally adopted her policy long before the high court made its ruling.
“This is about making sure that government officials are held accountable, that they can't just violate the law and change the law to fit their own agenda on these issues.”