It's still illegal to be gay in Texas in 2016. A lawmaker wants to end that

[TexasTowelie]

A graphic of the state showing the percentage of LGBT people in each state. Gallup estimated in 2012 that about a half-million Texans identified as gay or homosexual. A Texas lawmaker hopes to eliminate that language from the state's criminal code starting in January.

Every day in Texas, more than an estimated half-million people are breaking a law that's on the books, but unenforceable.

It's technically illegal to be gay in Texas.

The law, passed in 1974, makes homosexual conduct a class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

The law has been unenforceable since 2003, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared a ban on sodomy unconstitutional in a case called Lawrence v. Texas. The decision rendered unconstitutional the section of the criminal law to enforce that provision, which states, "A person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex." But, the language remains on the books today.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/It-s-still-illegal-to-be-gay-in-Texas-in-2016-A-10779941.php

Cross-posted in the Texas Group.

[lambchopp59]

1. Best wishes and blessings to senator Joe Moody, D. El Paso!

Let us know how this turns out if you hear, Towlie!

[TexasTowelie]

2. I went to the legislative bill lookup site

and it shows that Moody has filed the bill, but there has not been any action thus far. There hasn't been any companion bill introduced into the Senate. The legislative session in Texas began on January 10 and ends on May 29.

Here is his biographical page on the Texas House website:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=78