Perhaps the best thing about the Texas legislature is that it formally meets only once every two years: this limits, somewhat, the amount of mindless damage it can do. But the Texas Taliban is gearing up for big victories in the session that begins in January:
The first bill assigned a priority number in the House isn't about public education or child abuse protection. It's a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Social conservatives have a firm grip on the levers of Texas government and are determined to steer the legislative session that begins Jan. 11.
Conservatives in and out of the Legislature say the time has come for school vouchers and [an end] for quickie divorces. They will fight the legalization of slot machines and champion a ban on human cloning, including embryonic stem-cell research.
And they will join ranks with some pharmacists and church-affiliated hospitals so they will not have to dispense the "morning-after pill" or other prescriptions that they morally oppose. For some hospitals, that includes not having to provide such pills for rape victims brought to their emergency rooms....
"There's no doubt that conservatives are in a good position," said Kelly Shackleford, president of the Free Market [sic] Foundation....
"Last session was kind of opening the gate that had been blockaded for so long," said Mr. Shackleford, referring to 2003 successes such as state laws prohibiting gay marriage, requiring waiting periods for abortions and allowing a moment of silence in public schools....
Few doubt that a constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman will breeze through the session and go before the voters.
An alternative proposal backed by Mr. Shackleford and others would define marriage and also prohibit civil unions or any other legal recognition of same-sex couples.
"To me, anyone who stands in front of that is committing political suicide," he said.
Conservatives also want the state to require prenuptial counseling and waiting periods for divorce.
The aim is to make marriage "more protected and more special," Mr. Shackleford said.
Bottom line: Austin had better secede.
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