Texas

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal Fair Housing Act prohibits not only intentional housing discrimination, but those housing decisions that have a “disparate impact” on a vulnerable population.

Lambda Legal today filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas against the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS) for violating the U.S. Constitution by denying spousal health insurance coverage for the same-sex spouse of a University of North Texas administrator.

Texas Governor Gregory Abbott has assured U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch that Texas will take steps to comply with the standards set by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).

Tomorrow, the Texas state House of Representatives will consider HB 4105, a bill which would bar local and state officials from granting, enforcing or recognizing marriage licenses for gay and lesbian couples, and further prohibit public funds from being used to do so. The bill puts Texas in a precarious place by inviting Indiana-style backlash, and if passed, would enshrine discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Texas state law.