Texas State Rep. Lon Burnam, a Democrat
from Fort Worth, on Thursday filed a bill which seeks to legalize gay
marriage in the state.
According to gay weekly the Dallas
Voice, Burnam's bill would “remove provisions in the Texas
Family Code from 2003 that deny same-sex couples the ability to marry
in the state” and “allow Texas to recognize same-sex marriages
from other states.”
“Marriage has been the greatest and
most rewarding experience of my life,” Burnam said in a statement.
“Continuing to deny all Texans the freedom to marry robs them of
that experience and is detrimental to their families. Texans want a
state where anyone can work hard and provide for their families. Our
Texas values mandate defending the right of all Texans to have their
rights and responsibilities as couples recognized by the state.”
In
a video message, Burnam described his legislation as a
Valentine's Day gift to the LGBT community.
Last week, two Democratic
representatives filed proposed constitutional amendments seeking to
repeal the state's 2005 voter-approved amendment, which declares
heterosexual marriage the only union recognized by the state.
Another proposal seeks to create civil unions for gay couples.
Repeal of the state's ban is needed
before marriage or civil unions could be enacted.
Other states considering repeal include
Oregon,
Ohio,
Colorado
and Michigan.