By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune At a Governor’s Mansion press conference on the second day of this year’s legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who last session was the top state leader championing the measure, which would have regulated the use of certain public facilities for transgender Texans — suggested there’s no need…
Gay Libertarian Candidate for Texas Lt. Governor Wants to Legalize Pot and Prostitution
A gay Libertarian candidate for Lt. Governor of Texas says he supports the legalization of cannabis, prostitution and gambling as part of a campaign platform “to make sure liberty is protected in the state of Texas.” Kerry Douglas McKennon is a sixth generation Texan who was born, and still lives, in Petersburg, a West Texas…
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Opposed Controversial “Bathroom Bill,” State Legislator Says
By Emma Platoff, Texas Tribune March 13, 2018 Editor’s note: This story has been updated throughout. Gov. Greg Abbott himself was opposed to the controversial “bathroom bill” that dominated debate at the Texas Capitol for much of 2017, according to a state representative involved in keeping the legislation from passing the Texas House. State Rep.…
“Bathroom Bill” Fizzles as Republican Primary Issue
By Patrick Svitek, February 6, 2018 The “bathroom bill,” once touted as a surefire issue for the 2018 Republican primaries, is barely registering in them with less than a month until Election Day. Last year, state lawmakers waded into an intense, emotional debate over whether the state should restrict which bathrooms transgender Texans could use,…
More LGBTQ Texans than ever are running for office, magazine says
By Rishika Dugyala, The Texas Tribune January 24, 2018 A self-described “gun-toting, truck-driving, true Republican,” Shannon McClendon avidly followed state politics and served as a five-time appointee for various boards under former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. But until now, she never pushed herself to run for elected office. “I’m a Republican who happens to be…
2017 in Review: Top Ten LGBT News Stories
1) Ron Nirenberg elected Mayor of San Antonio In June, City Councilman Ron Nirenberg became mayor after winning a decisive victory over incumbent Ivy R. Taylor. Nirenberg received 54 percent of the vote while Taylor brought in 45 percent. The LGBT community cheered the victory, supporting a politician who during his campaign said, “We deserve…
Straus tells business leaders to keep up fight after “bathroom bill” failure
By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune September 12, 2017 SAN ANTONIO — Texas House Speaker Joe Straus urged business leaders Tuesday to keep up the fight following the failure of legislative efforts this year to pass a “bathroom bill” that many of them opposed. “Texans rejected name-calling and scare tactics, and as a result, we…
After Months of Controversy, Texas Bathroom Bill Dies Quietly
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune August 16, 2017 In the end, the controversial bathroom bill went quietly. For more than a year, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick led the crusade for a state law to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans — an initiative that resonated with social conservatives, including many pastors, who backed…
Texas Bathroom Bill Appears to Be All But Dead in Special Session
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune August 11, 2017 Despite it serving, in part, as the reason lawmakers are back in Austin for legislative overtime, the Texas Legislature could very well gavel out next week without passing a “bathroom bill.” With just days left in the 30-day special legislative session, controversial proposals to regulate bathroom…
Growing Number of Corporate Leaders Step Up Opposition to Bathroom Bill
CEO’s from 10 Fortune 500 companies voiced their opposition to the Texas bathroom bill in a letter which was sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, August 3. “No industry will remain untouched by the unnecessary harm that discriminatory laws will do to our competitiveness, to our ability to attract talent, and to our…