Following on the heels of a raid on a
gay bar that left one man hospitalized, Fort Worth lawmakers are
considering an expansion of gay rights, the Star-Telegram
reported.
Lawmakers are considering four
proposals, including extending benefits to the spouses of gay city
employees.
Also being considered are ordinances
that would consider a company's record on gay rights when approving
tax breaks and adding gender reassignment surgery to the city's
health insurance plan.
Conservatives are urging people to
rally against the measures when lawmakers meet next Tuesday. A
transgender protections bill that would outlaw discrimination based
on gender identity is expected to be voted on at Tuesday's City
Council meeting.
A posting on the Tarrant County
Republican Party website suggests providing such benefits would be
illegal. “Providing these benefits will not only [be] costly but
it may also violate the state law that voters enacted overwhelmingly
in 2005,” the group said, referring to Texas' gay marriage ban.
“The key is going to be how they're
defining it: What is this class of people and is it a counterfeit
marriage?” Kelly Shackelford, chairwoman of the group, told the
paper.
The measures come after a June raid on
the Rainbow Lounge, a gay bar. Police stormed the bar with paddy
wagons in tow and arrested six people for public intoxication.
Patrons say excessive force was used during the bar check. Two men
were treated for serious injuries. A
recently released police report on the use of force cleared officers
of wrongdoing and renewed calls by gay activists for an independent
investigation.