Tag Archives: repeal

Moving equality forward in San Antonio

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the Rivard Report: Members of San Antonio’s lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community want the city’s next mayor to follow the lead of Dallas and Houston and expand the 2013 non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) to include private companies. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Moving equality forward in San Antonio

No expedited appeal for HERO opponents

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From HOUEquality, on May 13: Today the 14th Court of Appeals denied HERO opponents’ request to force a trial in less than 30 days. The trial will proceed, but at a regular pace. This is another setback for opponents, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No expedited appeal for HERO opponents

Here come the HERO appeals

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So many appeals. Andy Taylor, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he will continue an appeal he has pending at the Texas Supreme Court, which has made no decision on whether it will hear the case. He has a response due … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here come the HERO appeals

City prevails in HERO repeal petition lawsuit

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah! Opponents of Houston’s non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials’ decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer. After separate rulings from … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No HERO ruling quite yet

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There was a hearing, but still no ruling quite yet. Opponents of the city’s legally embattled equal rights ordinance say they collected about 200 more valid petition signatures than they need to trigger a repeal referendum, a figure a district … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No HERO ruling quite yet

Get ready for the HERO ruling

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Should happen on Monday. With a ruling expected next week in the protracted legal battle surrounding Houston’s equal rights ordinance, city attorneys entered a motion for judgment late Friday afternoon that says opponents of the law are 650 signatures shy … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let Indiana be our guide

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Chron business columnist Chris Tomlinson has a warning for us. Watching Indiana Gov. Mike Pence call for a revision to a week-old religious freedom law this morning should be required viewing for every Houston politician and business person. After refusing … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still counting HERO repeal petition signatures

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

After more than a month, we finally have an update on the signature counting from the HERO repeal petition trial. The first publicly disclosed tally since the heated trial surrounding the city’s equal rights ordinance wrapped up last month leaves … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still counting HERO repeal petition signatures

Judge Schaffer makes his ruling on the HERO repeal petitions

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I was expecting this to happen Monday, but apparently Judge Robert Schaffer handed down his ruling about which HERO repeal petition signatures were valid and should be counted on Monday. Judge Robert Schaffer ruled on which types of signatures can … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judge Schaffer makes his ruling on the HERO repeal petitions

Plano ERO repeal petitions ruled invalid

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The City of Plano has determined that a recently circulated Equal Rights petition is invalid and will not move forward. Plano’s City Secretary was unable to certify the petition because it failed to meet State and local requirements for … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plano ERO repeal petitions ruled invalid

More on the HERO repeal petition jury verdict

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

KUHF has a good look at What It All Means. “It’s tough to predict,” said Teddy Rave, an assistant professor at the University of Houston Law Center. “It looks like the jury pretty much split the baby. They answered some … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the HERO repeal petition jury verdict

Mixed jury verdict in HERO repeal petitions trial

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Some Friday afternoon big news. A jury in the trial surrounding Houston’s embattled equal rights ordinance issued a mixed slate of decisions Friday, giving neither side the obvious upper hand as a district judge now uses those findings to decide … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mixed jury verdict in HERO repeal petitions trial

HERO repeal petition trial wraps up

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There actually wasn’t all that much testimony in the HERO repeal petition trial. On Tuesday, former City Attorney David Feldman took his turn on the stand. City Secretary Anna Russell originally found enough valid signatures but did not verify the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO repeal petition trial wraps up

Mayor Parker testifies at HERO repeal petition trial

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Monday was Mayor Parker’s turn to take the stand at the trial over the validity of the HERO repeal petitions. You’d think this would be a momentous occasion of high drama, but since this whole thing is about technicalities and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor Parker testifies at HERO repeal petition trial

It’s going to be a long trial

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Settle in and get comfortable, the HERO repeal petition trial is going to take some time. Ultimately, though, the trial is expected to be tedious and technical. So much so, that even after the city lost a significant motion two … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s going to be a long trial

HERO petition repeal trial starts

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It could actually be over before it really starts, though I would not expect that. For the next three to four weeks, the Harris County Civil Courthouse will be the stage for the trial over Houston’s controversial equal rights ordinance. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO petition repeal trial starts

Plano equality opponents turn in their petitions

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was the deadline for the opponents of Plano’s equal rights ordinance to turn in petitions to force a repeal referendum, and the haters of Plano duly did so. Opponents of Plano’s Equal Rights Ordinance say they’ve met the deadline … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plano equality opponents turn in their petitions

The haters are gathering petitions in Plano

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

God help us all. Opponents of Plano’s new ordinance banning discrimination against gays and transgendered people have drawn support from Pastor Rafael Cruz, father of Sen. Ted Cruz. “This is an attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs in America,” Cruz told a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Parker orders withdrawal of pastor subpoenas

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They got what they wanted. With local pastors standing with her, Mayor Annise Parker has told the City Legal Department to withdraw the subpoenas filed against five local pastors who have identified themselves as the leaders of the petition drive … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Subpoenaing sermons

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Houston’s embattled equal rights ordinance took another legal turn this week when it surfaced that city attorneys, in an unusual step, subpoenaed sermons given by local pastors who oppose the law and are tied to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Endorsement watch: The clerks

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Two more endorsements from the Chron, one of which may be the least enthusiastic endorsement they’ve ever given. District Clerk: Chris Daniel The Harris County district clerk’s office runs behind the scenes in our judicial system. It maintains records for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HERO repealers try their luck with the Supreme Court

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Because sure, why not? Opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have asked the Texas Supreme Court to force the city secretary to certify the signatures on a petition they submitted seeking to trigger a repeal referendum on the law. Houston’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO repealers try their luck with the Supreme Court

The case against tossing the HERO repeal petitions

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Jerad Najvar makes a constitutional argument that the city of Houston should have accepted the HERO repeal petitions even though many of the petition pages fell short of the requirements laid out in the city charter. While we lack clarity … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

HERO repeal hopefuls try another venue

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Conservative opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have asked an appeals court to force the city secretary to certify the signatures on their petitions to force a repeal referendum on the November ballot. Equal rights ordinance critics filed a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HERO repeal lawsuit moved to federal court

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And the bad guys are very unhappy about it. Conservative activists seeking to repeal Houston’s equal rights ordinance accused the city of stalling the issue Wednesday after city lawyers moved the opponents’ lawsuit over rejected ballot petitions from state to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HERO repeal lawsuit moved to federal court

Remember Ray Jones

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So now that the HERO-haters’ petitions have been rejected by the city for not having enough valid signatures after all of the petition pages that were not compliant with the requirements of the city charter were thrown out, the story … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Remember Ray Jones

HERO repeal effort falls short

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Too bad, so sad (not really). Opponents of Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance did not get enough valid signatures to force a November repeal referendum, Mayor Annise Parker and City Attorney David Feldman announced Monday. “With respect to the referendum petition … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Decision on validity of HERO-repeal petitions coming today

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready for the fireworks. City of Houston officials plan to announce Monday whether a petition submitted by opponents of the city’s new nondiscrimination ordinance contains enough valid signatures to force a vote on repealing the measure this November. Opponents … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HERO repeal petitions announcement today

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s the day we find out what happens. The city’s controversial HERO ordinance prohibits discrimination based on federally recognized groups such as race and age, but also extends those rights to sexual orientation and gender identity. Opponents of the ordinance … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

July finance reports for Harris County candidates

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

All of the July finance reports for Harris County candidates are in. You know what that means. County Judge Ed Emmett Ahmad Hassan Candidate Raised Spent Loan On Hand ================================================== Emmett 312,885 177,017 0 532,257 Hassan 0 0 0 0 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

One point of perspective on the repeal petitions

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the HERO-haters turning in their repeal petitions. Opponents of Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance Thursday turned in well more than the minimum number of signatures needed to trigger a November vote on whether to repeal the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Get ready to defend the HERO

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Surrounded by members of the community who are impacted by the ordinance, Mayor Annise Parker announced today that the City will mount a vigorous effort to defend Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance from being repealed. “The Houston I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get ready to defend the HERO

No repeal petition for San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Opponents of San Antonio’s nondiscrimination ordinance spread the word at churches and parks about their petition drive to place the policy on a citywide ballot. A few hours before Tuesday’s deadline, they informed city officials that effort had fallen … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment