The Texas Supreme Court dealt Houston’s contentious LGBT ordinance a major blow Friday.
The court ruled that the city of Houston must repeal or allow a vote on the Equal Rights Ordinance, an ordinance that qualified for the ballot but was kept off by Houston’s mayor, who sparked outrage when she tried to subpoena sermons and communications of local pastors.
The Equal Rights Ordinance banned businesses that serve the public from discriminating against gay or transgender people.
Conservative activists say that the ordinances can be used to allow men who identify as women to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms, and vice versa for women who identify as men.
After the ordinance was passed in May of 2014, conservative activists fought to get a repeal vote on the issue, but the mayor and other city officials refused to allow the repeal vote, saying the activists did not obtain enough signatures.
The court disagreed, and told the city to either repeal the measure or allow the city to vote on the repeal. Houston has until Aug. 24 to decide.
“The legislative power reserved to the people of Houston is not being honored,” reads the court’s opinion.
http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/24/texas-supreme-court-addresses-major-lgbt-ordinance/
The court ruled that the city of Houston must repeal or allow a vote on the Equal Rights Ordinance, an ordinance that qualified for the ballot but was kept off by Houston’s mayor, who sparked outrage when she tried to subpoena sermons and communications of local pastors.
The Equal Rights Ordinance banned businesses that serve the public from discriminating against gay or transgender people.
Conservative activists say that the ordinances can be used to allow men who identify as women to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms, and vice versa for women who identify as men.
After the ordinance was passed in May of 2014, conservative activists fought to get a repeal vote on the issue, but the mayor and other city officials refused to allow the repeal vote, saying the activists did not obtain enough signatures.
The court disagreed, and told the city to either repeal the measure or allow the city to vote on the repeal. Houston has until Aug. 24 to decide.
“The legislative power reserved to the people of Houston is not being honored,” reads the court’s opinion.
http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/24/texas-supreme-court-addresses-major-lgbt-ordinance/
