Alas.
One of the state’s most anti-gay lawmakers is going forward with a “religious freedom” amendment dropped by another representative earlier this week amid opposition from the Texas Association of Business.
Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) announced Monday he would “reconsider entirely” House Joint Resolution 55, which critics say would enshrine a “license to discriminate” against LGBT people in the state Constitution. Villalba backed off HJR 55 after the Texas Association of Business passed a resolution opposing the measure over concerns about its economic impact.
On Wednesday, Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) introduced HJR 125, which is identical to HJR 55. When Villalba introduced HJR 55, he wrote on Facebook it was drafted with the help of Krause and Plano’s Liberty Institute.
Equality Texas rated Krause the state’s most anti-LGBT lawmaker following the 2013 session.
See here for the background. I suppose this isn’t a surprise. Haters gonna hate and all that. Lessons to be learned from this: For Rep. Villalba, be careful who you consult with on legislation in the future. For the Texas Association of Business, you really need to re-think what it means to be “pro-business” in this state, and act accordingly. And for the rest of us, it’s never a bad time to contact your State Rep and State Senator and let them know how you feel about a particular bill or issue.